Ardern preferred Prime Minister with 6% lead

Jacinda Ardern has a 6% lead over Bill English as preferred Prime Minister among definite voters.

Among the 860 adult respondents who are both registered to vote and 100% likely to vote, Ardern leads English by 43% to 37%.

Among all of the 960 respondents to the August 11-15 Horizon Research poll Ardern leads 45% to 32%.

Winston Peters is preferred Prime Minister by 15% of all respondents and 14% of definite voters.

James Shaw, the Green Party leader, is preferred by 2%, and David Seymour of ACT and Te Ururoa Flavell of the Maori Party each by 1%.

In general, preference for each of the party leaders as Prime Minister comes primarily from their own parties:

• 90% of those intending to vote National at the September 23 general election preferred Bill English – although 4% of them preferred Jacinda Ardern.

• 91% of those intending to vote for Labour preferred Jacinda Ardern; 1% of them preferred Bill English. 

• 80% of intending New Zealand First voters preferred Winston Peters as Prime Minster.

Among voters for the minor parties, high levels of preference for Bill English come from intending ACT voters. 

62% of intending Green Party voters had a preference for Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister, while 23% of them preferred their party leader, James Shaw.

The online survey is weighted to match national demographics for age, gender and education level.  The survey has an overall margin of error of ±3.2% at a 95% confidence level.  The survey complies with Research Association New Zealand’s code for political polls.

Other results from this survey are online here:

Ardern drives vote switch: nett 11% leave National for Labour

New Zealand First voters equally split over coalition options

Comments on results are welcome at Horizon’s Facebook page.

For further information please contact Grant McInman, Manager, Horizon Research, e-mail gmcinman@horizonresearch.co.nz, telephone +64 21 076 2040