New Zealand elections 2026: live updates

Image source, Doug Habgood

As millions of New Zealanders exercise their democratic rights today, so too has one passionate cyclist – literally.

Doug Habgood, 72, is currently on a week-long cycling trip to Australia and was in the rural town of Narrandera when he tried to vote online but found the system “clumsy”.

The semi-retiree from Nelson therefore decided to vote in person. But that meant a painful 330km bike ride to the nearest polling station in the nation’s capital, Canberra.

“It was demanding,” he tells the BBC of the eight-day journey which saw him ration his supplies of chocolate bars and oranges, fight off pesky bush flies and tackle steep mountains.

When he finally went to the New Zealand High Commission to vote on Tuesday, it was an “extremely good feeling” that he hopes will inspire others.

“I did my civic duty and if you think voting is too complicated or complicated, then my example might help you.”