Polls open in final day of New Zealand vote

Polls in New Zealand opened Saturday on the final day of a vote taking place against a backdrop of concerns over rising costs of living and the broader state of the economy. New Zealand has strict election day laws governing media reporting and political campaigning to prevent voters being swayed.

The country’s mixed-member proportional system requires two votes, one for a party and one for a local electorate candidate. Electorate winners earn a spot in the typically 120-seat parliament, as do the highest-ranked members of the party based on their national party vote.