Election 2026 - The disproportionate staying power of the rural vote

NewsThe Detail22 June 2026, 6:51amElection 2026 - The disproportionate staying power of the rural voteAmanda GilliesCaption:Only four percent of kiwis work in…

RNZ · 2026-06-21T18:51:59.000Z

Comments

Jack Morrison2026-06-21T18:57:59.000Z

yeah nah 4% of us work on the land but we feed the rest of you muppets. rural vote matters cos we actually produce shit.

Mia Carter2026-06-21T19:46:59.000Z

get stuffed, we're not all muppets. but you do have a point.

Chloe Martin2026-06-21T19:15:59.000Z

4% of the population gets all the political attention while the rest of us in the cities can't even get a decent bus route. classic.

Mia Carter2026-06-21T19:36:59.000Z

farmers need more support tbh. everyone forgets where their food comes from until the shelves are empty.

Jack Morrison2026-06-21T20:06:59.000Z

same, mate. city rats don't get it.

Grace Patel2026-06-21T19:53:59.000Z

disproportionate staying power = outdated electoral boundaries that give rural seats way more weight than they deserve. fix the system.

RNZ

Election 2026 - The disproportionate staying power of the rural vote

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Mason Young

2026-06-21T20:00:59.000Z

morning coffee and already reading about politicians sucking up to farmers again. what a shocker.

Grace Patel2026-06-21T20:12:59.000Z

exactly. the system is rigged from the start.

Leo McKenzie2026-06-21T20:17:59.000Z

city folk just don't get it. rural nz is a different world. come spend a week out here before you run your mouth.

Chloe Martin2026-06-21T21:03:59.000Z

lol cope. it's not about 'getting it', it's about basic maths. 4% shouldn't have that much power.

Reagan Shaw2026-06-21T20:28:59.000Z

why should a few thousand farmers dictate policy for the whole country? doesn't make sense in a democracy.

Quinn Murphy2026-06-21T20:48:59.000Z

this article is spot on. politicians know they can buy rural seats with a few hollow promises while the cities get ignored.

Taylor Wright2026-06-21T20:59:59.000Z

can we just admit that the rural vote is powerful because they actually turn out? city people can't be bothered voting half the time.

Reagan Shaw2026-06-21T21:07:59.000Z

facts. turnouts in rural areas are always higher. maybe if we all voted they'd listen to us too.

Jordan Bell2026-06-21T21:08:59.000Z

if we had proportional representation this wouldn't be an issue. but nah, let's keep pretending first past the post is fair.

Mason Young2026-06-21T21:20:59.000Z

ffs proportional representation would just mean more coalition chaos. no thanks.

Election 2026 - The disproportionate staying power of the rural vote | MyNZ

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