Election polls in New Zealand continue to show no clear outcome

WELLINGTON, Oct 29 (Reuters) – Nine days out from New Zealand’s general election on November 7, polls continue to show no clear winner or even coalition grouping.

• A Radio New Zealand-Reid Research poll released on Thursday saw opposition party Labour sitting at 30.6% and able to form a government with the support of the Greens and Opportunity. In this poll, the ruling National party had fallen to just 24.8% of the vote.

• A poll released earlier in the week by 1News and Verian poll had National Party sitting at 29% of the vote and alongside coalition partners New Zealand First and ACT possibly had the numbers to return to government.

• Polls indicate several overhang seats – where a party wins more electorate seats than their party vote would allocate them so extra seats are added to parliament – will be needed. The total number of seats in the next parliament will be crucial to which coalition can form a government.

• New Zealand uses a mixed member proportional system, which tends to favour coalition governments.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Alistair Bell)