2008 New Zealand general election

The **2008 New Zealand general election** was held on 8 November 2008. The liberal-conservative National Party, headed by its parliamentary leader John Key, won the largest share of votes and seats, ending nine years of government by the social-democratic Labour Party, led by Helen Clark. This marked the beginning of the Fifth National Government which governed for the next nine years, until the 2017 general election, when a government was formed between the Labour and New Zealand First parties.

The Chief Electoral Officer released the official results on 22 November 2008.

## Infobox (election)

- **election name**: 2008 New Zealand general election
- **country**: New Zealand
- **type**: parliamentary
- **ongoing**: no
- **previous election**: 2005 New Zealand general election
- **previous year**: 2005
- **outgoing members**: 48th New Zealand Parliament
- **next election**: 2011 New Zealand general election
- **next year**: 2011
- **seats for election**: All 120 seats (plus 2 Overhang seat, overhang seats) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
 62 seats were needed for a majority
- **elected mps**: 49th New Zealand Parliament, elected members
- **opinion polls**: Opinion polling for the 2008 New Zealand general election
- **turnout**: 2,376,480 (79.46%) 1.46
- **1blank**: Electorate vote
- **3blank**: Party vote
- **leader1**: John Key
- **leader since1**: 2006 New Zealand National Party leadership election, 27 November 2006
- **party1**: New Zealand National Party
- **leaders seat1**: Helensville (New Zealand electorate), Helensville
- **last election1**: 48 seats, 39.10%
- **seats before1**: 48
- **seats1**: **58**
- **seat change1**: 10
- **1data1**: **1,072,024**
**46.60%**
 6.22
- **3data1**: **1,053,398**
**44.93% **
 5.83
- **leader2**: Helen Clark
- **leader since2**: 1993 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election, 1 December 1993
- **party2**: New Zealand Labour Party
- **leaders seat2**: Mount Albert (New Zealand electorate), Mount Albert
- **last election2**: 50 seats, 41.10%
- **seats before2**: 49
- **seats2**: 43
- **seat change2**: 6
- **1data2**: 810,238
35.22%
 5.13
- **3data2**: 796,880
33.99%
 7.11
- **leader3**: Russel Norman
Jeanette Fitzsimons
- **leader since3**: 3 June 2006
21 May 1995
- **party3**: Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
- **leaders seat3**: Party-list proportional representation, List
Party-list proportional representation, List
- **last election3**: 6 seats, 5.30%
- **seats before3**: 6
- **seats3**: 9
- **seat change3**: 3
- **1data3**: 129,584
5.63%
 1.51
- **3data3**: 157,613
6.72%
 1.42
- **leader4**: Rodney Hide
- **leader since4**: 18 June 2004
- **party4**: ACT New Zealand
- **leaders seat4**: Epsom (New Zealand electorate), Epsom
- **last election4**: 2 seats, 1.51%
- **seats before4**: 2
- **seats4**: 5
- **seat change4**: 3
- **1data4**: 68,852
2.99%
 1.02
- **3data4**: 85,496
3.65%
 2.14
- **leader5**: Tariana Turia
Pita Sharples
- **leader since5**: 7 July 2004
- **party5**: Māori Party
- **leaders seat5**: Te Tai Hauāuru
Tāmaki Makaurau
- **last election5**: 4 seats, 2.12%
- **seats before5**: 4
- **seats5**: 5
- **seat change5**: 1
- **1data5**: 76,836
3.34%
 0.02
- **3data5**: 55,980
2.39%
 0.27
- **leader6**: Jim Anderton
- **leader since6**: 27 July 2002
- **party6**: New Zealand Progressive Party
- **leaders seat6**: Wigram (New Zealand electorate), Wigram
- **last election6**: 1 seat, 1.16%
- **seats before6**: 1
- **seats6**: 1
- **seat change6**: 0
- **1data6**: 25,981
1.13%
 0.51
- **3data6**: 21,241
0.91%
 0.25
- **leader7**: Peter Dunne
- **leader since7**: 16 November 2000
- **party7**: United Future New Zealand
- **leaders seat7**: Ōhariu
- **last election7**: 3 seats, 2.67%
- **seats before7**: 2
- **seats7**: 1
- **seat change7**: 1
- **1data7**: 25,955
1.13%
 1.71
- **3data7**: 20,497
0.87%
 1.80
- **leader8**: Winston Peters
- **leader since8**: 18 July 1993
- **party8**: New Zealand First
- **leaders seat8**: Party-list proportional representation, List
_(lost seat)_
- **last election8**: 7 seats, 5.72%
- **seats before8**: 7
- **seats8**: 0
- **seat change8**: 7
- **1data8**: 38,813
1.69%
 1.80
- **3data8**: 95,356
4.07%
 1.65
- **map image**: 2008 New Zealand general election - Results.svg
- **map size**: 400px
- **map caption**: Results of the election.
- **title**: Prime Minister of New Zealand, Prime Minister
- **posttitle**: Subsequent Prime Minister
- **before election**: Helen Clark
- **before party**: New Zealand Labour Party
- **after election**: John Key
- **after party**: New Zealand National Party