In the battle between Old Zealand and New Zealand in the 2026 election, Gen Xers are going to be the difference.
Look at the demographics.
Estimation for 2025 (or more recent)
If similar age proportions hold, then:
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If 60+ voters are ~28-30% of the voter roll, and
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Under-40 voters are ~35%,
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then in a total roll of ~3.6 million enrolled voters (approx current size), you’d expect:
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60+ voters ≈ ≈ 1.0 to 1.1 million
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18-40 voters ≈ ≈ 1.25 million
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Polling data tells us that you are more likely to be a reactionary redneck if you are over 60 (and male) and are far more likely to vote Left if you are 18-40 and female.
There are around 1.3million Kiwis aged between 40 and 60, that is Gen X, we are the ones who are going to be the decider in this election.
As a generation, do we want to side with the rednecks of Old Zealand or support New Zealand?
Thanks to our middle class woke activists during the social media cancel culture Lynch mobs, we drove many young men into the arms of the reactionary right, we need to show those men that there is a place on the Left for them.
Old Zealand trades in the spite and malice of culture war hate while in lockstep with the Billionaire class, the Banks, the speculators and the polluters, isn’t it time to break the power of these pricks?
It’s time for Gen X to step up.
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Oh yes. And how exactly is what passes for the Left in 2025 going to win back older white males? Considering that the “New Left” believes in critical theory, thinks some people are born in the wrong body and that maatauranga should be taught in science classes. Hmmm? Why isn’t the “Left” focused on overturning the neoliberal revolution that so many of us were horrified by. We saw through it right from the start, just as we saw through the identity politics BS that the so-called New Left is obsessed with. Until that changes, your words are hollow.
Yes indeed, time for Gen X to step up. Not sure if it can be characterised as the enlightened left leaning vs the rednecks. That’s a bit too simplistic. And well beyond this coming election the Gen X’s have it all before them. What does the recent report on future proofing infrastructure in NZ have to say? Fast forward to 2050 and the Boomers will be gone and Gen X will be the grey-haired ones with the numbers. Let’s hope they make the right decisions and that the younger generations are not too disgruntled.
Stereotyping the X’s a bit there, remember they have known only neoliberal thought and institutions-though there are great examples of them being critical of that and supporting various social movements.
Similarly many boomers are veteran lefties. My worry regardless of changing demographics is that the CoC gerrymandering with enrolment will deter enough precarious/alienated voters to skew the result regardless of X’s numerical position.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Gen X loves dem capital gains just as much as Boomer town.
Gen X yeah right