October 22, 2020
Special votes probably bad news for Dr Reti
A long term political activist and observer believes Shane Reti is set to lose his Whangārei seat.
However, National’s leadership turmoil worked in Dr Reti’s favour, as Judith Collins put him at 5 on the party list, meaning he will stay in parliament.
Shane Te Pou says those hovering at the bottom of the party lists, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair Lemauga Lydia Sosenefor Labour and West Coast-based list MP Maureen Pugh for National, are also waiting nervously for almost half a million special votes to be counted.
"Dr Shane Reti, under 200 in Whangārei, will go simply because Labour tends to outperform by quite a big deal the special votes. Lydia will get up on the list and Maureen Pugh will probably fall off because again Labour does outdo National in special votes," he says.
Shane Te Pou says with more than 6000 special votes still to count in Waiariki, including those of more than 1000 people who enrolled and voted on election day, the Māori Party’s MP-elect Rawiri Waititi can’t hang his cowboy hat on a peg in parliament just yet.
The final results are due to be released on November 6.
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