Local elections are over and for the first time we ran candidates under the UnitedFuture banner.

On average our candidates gained 3% of the vote (in one case as high as 5%), which shows there is support for UnitedFuture and our candidates. A party vote at this level during the general election means three or four MPs! When you consider how much we’ve achieved in the past few years with a single MP, a few more would mean even more progress towards a better NZ for future generations.

I would like to make special mention of Paul Thompson, Chair of the Auckland Region, who was the driving force behind running candidates in the Auckland elections. I’d also like to recognise the incredible effort made by John Hubscher who rang and door knocked hundreds of people in his area.

Despite not being elected, our candidates did a great job of raising profile for the party and engaging in the conversation. Candidates reported positive feedback from the public and we’ve found new supporters (and reconnected with others). We’re going to use this momentum to start preparing for the general election next year.

Damian Light, Party President and Secretary, UnitedFuture.