Patrick Gower: Newshub's poll is vital and correct

Patrick Gower: Newshub's poll is vital and correct
Photo credit: Newshub.

OPINION: This election, Newshub-Reid Research had the most accurate final poll results.

A former Colmar Brunton pollster has crunched the numbers found Newshub had the least difference between the election result and the final poll.

The Colmar Brunton and Herald Election forecasts were the next closest, followed by RNZ and Stuff's poll of polls.

When the final Newshub-Reid Research poll came in, it showed either side could take power.

The final Newshub-Reid Research poll result and the provisional results.
The final Newshub-Reid Research poll result and the provisional results. Photo credit: Newshub.

It had National with 56 seats, Labour with 45, and the Greens and NZ First with nine each.

Provisional results have National on 58 seats, Labour on 45, NZ First with nine and the Greens with seven.

We went wrong with the Maori Party. The Maori Television-Reid Research poll showed they would bring home a seat or two in electorates.

Polling is a meticulous process.

The declining number of New Zealanders with landlines is an obvious challenge for pollsters.

A quarter of households simply don’t have one anymore.

Newshub-Reid Research reflects that decline by conducting 25 percent of polling online.

This allows our poll to be as modern and accurate as possible - but still preserving the quality of our long-developed telephone polling.

Patrick Gower is Newshub's political editor.