A young man stands near a large chessboard in a mall, surrounded by oversized chess pieces. Signs reading “Election 2026” are placed on the image. The background shows shops and seating areas.
Abd Ziwari isn’t sure if he’ll vote. (Photo and additional design: Liam Rātana)

Politicsabout 9 hours ago

An out-of-work 18-year-old on not knowing who to vote for

A young man stands near a large chessboard in a mall, surrounded by oversized chess pieces. Signs reading “Election 2026” are placed on the image. The background shows shops and seating areas.
Abd Ziwari isn’t sure if he’ll vote. (Photo and additional design: Liam Rātana)

A student wants a place to stay and a job, but doesn’t know if he’ll vote, he says in the latest instalment of Characters of the Campaign Trail, a series delving into voters’ minds.

Name: Abd Ziwari

Age: 18

Occupation: Student

Living situation: Staying with a friend.

Electorate: Mt Roskill

Do you intend on voting? Maybe. I don’t know.

Who will you vote for? I’m unsure. Any names? [The Spinoff tells him National’s Carlos Cheung and Labour’s Michael Wood are the leading contenders in Mt Roskill]. I might just vote for Michael. I haven’t decided who I’ll give my party vote to.

What appeals to you about Michael Wood? Just the name – vibes based.

What are the three biggest issues for you this election? Having a place to stay. It’s a long story, but I got kicked out of my parents’ house like two months ago. I’m just trying to find a job and it’s so hard to find a job in this country.

Describe New Zealand right now in three words: Safe, beautiful, fun.

If you had to get the face of one politician (past or present) tattooed onto your body, who would it be? A politician? What’s that? [The Spinoff says it’s someone in parliament like an MP or prime minister]. Oh yeah, Jacinda.

What will you do on election night? Sleep.

– As told to Liam Rātana