He Ārahitanga Pōtitanga Whānui 2026 Integrity Essentials – Leadership Development CentreGuidance: General Election 2026

General elections are important events for our democracy – and for the public sector. This year will be no different.

This guidance explains what’s expected of us as public servants before, during, and after the election, and how we can continue to serve New Zealanders and uphold the trust they place in a politically neutral public sector.

We know it’s not always easy to balance meeting our obligations as public servants, while exercising our political rights as citizens. This guidance is designed to keep you safe and help you navigate these issues confidently. Please take the time to read the guidance and use it as a reference for what good looks like. If you’re unsure about anything, seek advice early.

Political neutrality in the public sector is essential because it underpins both public trust and the trust of current and future governments. New Zealanders need to know that government decisions and services are delivered fairly and without favour or influence.

By following the principles set out in this guidance, we can make sure that together we protect the integrity of the public sector and strengthen confidence in our democratic system.

Sir Brian Roche KNZM
Te Tumu Whakarae mō Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commissioner

General Election Guidance 2026(PDF, 851 KB)

Summary of General Election Guidance 2026(PDF, 648 KB)

Audio (WAV)(WAV, 82 MB)

Audio (MP3)(MP3, 2.8 MB)

Braille(BRF, 5 KB)

Easy Read (Word)(DOCX, 11 MB)

Easy Read (PDF)(PDF, 2 MB)

Large print (Word)(DOCX, 140 KB)

Large print (PDF)(PDF, 168 KB)

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL)

‘Getting Election Ready’ is required learning that supports all public servants to understand the Election Guidance. This learning is part of Integrity Essentials, which has a range of learning resources on integrity topics such as political neutrality and free and frank advice. The Leadership Development Centre designed this learning with the Public Service Commission.

Integrity Essentials – Leadership Development Centre

Scenario 1: Public sector agency advertising a future vision for New Zealand(PDF, 528 KB)

Scenario 2: Advertising by a public sector agency of new products and services(PDF, 466 KB)

Scenario 3: Public sector agency receives an information request from its Minister(PDF, 800 KB)

Scenario 4: Staff commenting in the media on the current government's performance(PDF, 798 KB)

Scenario 5: Public servants appearing in publicity material that involves politicians(PDF, 821 KB)

Scenario 6: Social media campaign to publicise community services(PDF, 530 KB)

Scenario 7: Correction of misinformation(PDF, 525 KB)

Scenario 8: Publicity of future services and benefits(PDF, 529 KB)

Scenario 9: Consultation on proposed government policy that is politically controversial(PDF, 525 KB)

Top 10 areas to watch out for in an election year when working in a ministerial office(PDF, 193 KB)

Advice on Public Sector collective bargaining during an election year(PDF, 164 KB)