New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have used their 2026 election statement to promote voting as a moral and civic responsibility, not simply an expression of personal preference.
In Discerning our nation’s future through a Gospel lens, the bishops note that the Church does not endorse any political party or candidate. Instead, they encourage voters to carefully examine parties, candidates and policies through the lens of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching.
Read more here.

Democracy comes from the words demo- (“people”) and -cracy (“rule”) – a country ruled by the people. Why it is important to vote and how does in work in New Zealand? Listen to this interview with Shayne Mathieson: