{
 "continuity": {
  "dimensions": {
   "C1": "Four-year term",
   "C2": "Plans with other parties",
   "C3": "Long-term institutions",
   "C4": "Honours what it inherits"
  },
  "scale": [
   "Weakens",
   "Silent",
   "Acknowledges",
   "Plans",
   "Committed"
  ],
  "note": "Rated, never added to the scores. Rests on a stated value: long-term plans should survive a change of government."
 },
 "title": "The Parties, the Issues and the Long Game",
 "subtitle": "NZ Election 2026: a neutral, multi-party guide",
 "election_day": "2026-11-07",
 "enrol_by": "2026-10-25",
 "advance_voting_from": "2026-10-26",
 "evidence_cutoff": "2026-10-19",
 "party_order": [
  "National",
  "Labour",
  "Greens",
  "ACT",
  "NZ First",
  "Te Pāti Māori",
  "Opportunity"
 ],
 "bands": [
  {
   "min": 65,
   "label": "strong"
  },
  {
   "min": 50,
   "label": "fair"
  },
  {
   "min": 35,
   "label": "weak"
  },
  {
   "min": 0,
   "label": "poor"
  }
 ],
 "lenses": {
  "voter_priorities": {
   "label": "Voter priorities",
   "question": "How well each party answers the issues voters say matter most right now.",
   "tests": [
    "Diagnosis",
    "Mechanism",
    "Funding",
    "Delivery",
    "Relief"
   ],
   "max_per_grouping": 15,
   "weights": "voter_weight (Ipsos NZ Issues Monitor, September 2026)"
  },
  "readiness_2050": {
   "label": "Readiness to 2050",
   "question": "How well its plans prepare New Zealand for what we can already see coming.",
   "tests": [
    "Diagnosis",
    "Mechanism",
    "Funding",
    "Delivery",
    "Future effect",
    "Durability",
    "Candour"
   ],
   "max_per_grouping": 21,
   "weights": "weight_2050 (author's judgement, open to challenge)"
  }
 },
 "tests": {
  "core": [
   "Diagnosis",
   "Mechanism",
   "Funding",
   "Delivery"
  ],
  "now": [
   "Relief"
  ],
  "lasting": [
   "Future effect",
   "Durability",
   "Candour"
  ]
 },
 "polls": {
  "method": "Simple average of 1News Verian (15 to 19 Oct 2026, n=1,003) and Post/Freshwater Strategy (9 to 19 Oct 2026, n=1,458)",
  "average": {
   "National": 29.8,
   "Labour": 27.9,
   "Greens": 15.2,
   "ACT": 10.0,
   "NZ First": 9.9,
   "Te Pāti Māori": 1.5,
   "Opportunity": 6.2
  },
  "seats": {
   "National": 36,
   "ACT": 12,
   "NZ First": 12,
   "Opportunity": 7,
   "Labour": 33,
   "Greens": 18,
   "Te Pāti Māori": 2
  },
  "seat_method": "Sainte-Laguë, 120 seats, no overhang",
  "to_govern": 61,
  "blocs": {
   "right": [
    "National",
    "ACT",
    "NZ First"
   ],
   "left": [
    "Labour",
    "Greens",
    "Te Pāti Māori"
   ],
   "outside": [
    "Opportunity"
   ]
  }
 }
}