19 Nov 11
 
						
							The country is now evenly split on which main party is preferred to lead a coalition government if one is required after Saturday’s general election. A 5.5% preference lead for National has closed completely since October 29.
41.5% now want a Labour-led government, 41.1% a National-led one.
| Overall, would you prefer a Labour-led government or a National-led government after the 26 November 2011 general election? | |||||||||||||||||||
| 
 | |||||||||||||||||||
The first HorizonPoll of the 2011 election campaign, conducted among 887 voters between October 26 and 28, showed 42.1% preferred a National-led government, 36.6% a Labour-led one (a 5.5% gap).
These are results for an HorizonPoll of 3006 people of voting age, conducted between 9 am Wednesday and 8.52 pm 19 Saturday (November 16-19). Weighted by age, gender, ethnicity, personal income, education qualification and party vote 2008, the poll has a maximum margin of error of +/- 1.8%.
The results give New Zealand First, Green and Maori Party party leaders a firm steer: 66% of NZ First voters, 82.6% of Green and 54.6% of Maori Party voters prefer a Labour-led coalition.
87% of Act voters want a National led colaition, while 40.1% of United Future supporters are not sure, 34.4% prefer National and 25.4% Labour.
Preference by 2008 party vote:
| Overall, would you prefer a Labour-led government or a National-led government after the 26 November 2011 general election? | |||||
| Total | Labour | National | Not sure | 
 | |
| 
 | |||||
| ALL | 3006 | 41.1% | 41.5% | 17.4% | 
 | 
| 
 | |||||
| PARTY VOTE 2008 | 
 | ||||
| ACT New Zealand | 3% | 5.6% | 87.3% | 7.1% | 
 | 
| Chose not to vote | 15% | 39.8% | 27.5% | 32.7% | 
 | 
| Don't know or can't remember | 10% | 37.2% | 22.3% | 40.5% | 
 | 
| Green Party | 5% | 82.6% | 9.4% | 7.9% | 
 | 
| Jim Anderton's Progressive Party | 1% | 54.2% | 16.7% | 29% | 
 | 
| Labour Party | 25% | 78.5% | 9.3% | 12.2% | 
 | 
| Maori Party | 2% | 54.6% | 21.6% | 23.8% | 
 | 
| National Party | 34% | 9.8% | 82% | 8.2% | 
 | 
| New Zealand First Party | 3% | 66.2% | 12.4% | 21.4% | 
 | 
| Other party | 1% | 25.2% | 48.8% | 26% | 
 | 
| United Future | 1% | 25.4% | 34.4% | 40.2% | 
 |