Election17

About 80,000 people placed their ballots yesterday, with nearly twice the number of votes cast so far compared to the same time in 2014.

A group of marauding pirates have ambushed a Labour Party rally in New Plymouth, inviting its leader to join them for a rum.

The Labour Party leader says rheumatic fever has become the disease of South Auckland because of poverty and over-crowded housing.

The parties say they are prepared to work with New Zealand First after the election, but a referendum on Māori seats is off the table.

Power Play - With just a week to go in the campaign, this general election is closer than any political contest New Zealand has seen for more than a decade, writes Chris Bramwell.

Some schools in areas where there are low voter turn-outs are encouraging the parents of their students to turn out and vote.

A third investigation into who leaked information about Winston Peters' superannuation overpayments has failed to find who was responsible.

National and Labour want voters to think they're in a "drag race". For those who need a reminder, this is still an MMP election, Brent Edwards writes.

The number of New Zealanders casting early ballots continues to rise after four days of advance voting.

The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce is talking to the police this afternoon about a Twitter account set up in its name.

Poll of Polls - The lead has flipped with National now fractionally ahead of Labour, although now neither party can govern with just NZ First alone, writes Colin James.

The Labour Party has committed to ensuring that every child up to intermediate age has te reo Māori integrated into their learning by 2025.

Despite a walk-back on some of its tax plans, a water tax for commercial users is still part of Labour's policy. We check some of the claims about its cost to farmers.

Opinion - Cartoonist Toby Morris on Labour's shift in its approach to tax policy after concerted attacks by the National Party.

Green Party leader James Shaw tells Morning Report's Guyon Espiner he wants a ministerial economic role in any Labour-Green government. Video

Fewer young people have enrolled to vote compared with the last election - so far.

A $3 billion costing for New Zealand First's policy to remove GST from basic food was a mistake, its leader tells Morning Report's Guyon Espiner. Video

The latest 1 News Colmar Brunton poll has Labour and the Greens able to form a government.

Workers at a Gisborne packhouse have challenged Bill English at a visit that was supposed to be stress-free for the National Party leader. Audio