Act reveals its election list - where is Paul Henry ranked?

Author: Jamie Ensor,
Publish Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2026, 2:24pm

Former broadcaster Paul Henry has made the top five of the Act Party’s 2026 election list.

Henry, who was announced as an Act list-only candidate in July and has toured New Zealand in recent weeks holding public meetings, has been given the fourth spot.

He follows leader David Seymour, deputy Nicole McKee, and current Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard.

Children’s Minister Karen Chhour is ranked fifth, followed by current MP Todd Stephenson, who is currently a Parliamentary Private Secretary for Associate Health Minister Seymour.

James Christmas, the former National candidate and Beehive staffer who is running in Tāmaki, is placed at seventh. He is replacing Brooke van Velden as Act’s candidate in the seat.

Van Velden currently holds the electorate but is stepping down from politics. Her departure, as well as that of Mark Cameron, has created two spots for new candidates near the top of the list.

After Christmas is Simon Court, the current Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Minister for Infrastructure and RMA Reform.

He is followed by MPs Laura McClure and Parmjeet Parmar.

In the eleventh spot is Iain Murray, the next non-MP. He is the party’s Selwyn candidate, is a former airman with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and is currently a school principal.

Cameron Luxton is the last current MP on the list, ranked at 12.

“Act is brimming with talent, and we’ve got a team of New Zealanders ready to build on what we’ve achieved this term and unlock New Zealand’s potential,” said Seymour.

“Our list is a true representation of New Zealand society. There are tradies, engineers, farmers, small business owners, hunters, legal experts, health professionals, school principals and more. Our candidates come from many different backgrounds and professions, but they share a common belief in this country and a determination to make it better.”

Speaking of Hoggard being placed at third, up from fifth in 2023, Seymour said he’d been critical in driving the party’s rural work.

“Andrew Hoggard has been the driving force behind cutting red tape and bringing common sense to climate policy this term. His promotion is recognition for the work he’s done and the continued importance of having an authentic farmer standing up for rural New Zealand.”

The most recent NZ Herald – Motu Research Poll of Polls, released earlier this week, had Act on 7.5%, which would give the party nine seats. It currently holds 11.

Another high profile candidate is Davina Smolders. She is an Act councillor in the Far North District Council and captured national headlines after raising concerns about the rights being given to unelected people on council committees. The Government later said it would move to stop unelected people being able to vote on the committees.

Smolders previously said that she would resign from the council if she secured a position in the top 10 or 11 places on the Act list for the election.

However, she has been ranked at 18 on Act’s list.

ACT’s list for the 2026 election:

David Seymour
Nicole McKee
Andrew Hoggard
Paul Henry
Karen Chhour
Todd Stephenson
James Christmas
Simon Court
Laura McClure
Parmjeet Parmar
Iain Murray
Cameron Luxton
Antonia Modkova
Alex Price
Janelle Hocking
Ash Parmar
Yang Qu
Davina Smolders
Amanda Roberts
Callum Sheridan
Henrietta Devoe
Samuel Mills
Nigel Elder
Tom Spooner
Juan Alvarez De Lugo
Manu Singh
Helena Roza
Ali Dahche
Malkiat Singh
Ash Bettridge
Zachary Wellman
Robbie Byars
Matthew Hague
Nick Peirce
Darrin Hawkes
Panos Patros
Aaron Allred
Doug Graham
Toni Severin *
Johno Ormond
Bryan Norton
Martin Lundqvist
Sarah Lochead-Macmillan
Ken Harpur
Sean Beamish
Chris Baillie

*Candidates 39 to 46 are candidates who wish to be on the list but not ranked and are listed in reverse alphabetical order by last name.

Jamie Ensor is the NZ Herald’s chief political reporter, based in the press gallery at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. He was a finalist in 2025 for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.