Welcome to The Progress Report 2.0 - a repository of tools and data for anyone interested in New Zealand politics.
If you’ve been following The Progress Report, you know I talk a lot about the changing landscape of politics. But today, I want to talk about something practical—a solution to a problem I’ve seen time and time again.
I am thrilled to finally announce the launch of Candidate Engine, a new project dedicated to helping politicians and campaigners get online without the headache or the high price tag.
I built Candidate Engine with a simple mission: to make professional campaign technology accessible to everyone, from local council nominees to marginal parliament races.
Here is why it matters, and why you should check it out.
1. It is Essential for Being Found
In the digital age, if voters can't Google you, you effectively don't exist. Social media is great, but it’s noisy and you don't own the platform. When a voter searches for your name, they should find your platform, not just your opponent’s attacks or a chaotic Facebook feed.
Every politician needs a dedicated website to control their narrative. Candidate Engine ensures you rank in search results with a site that looks authoritative and professional from day one.
2. It’s Powerful (Petitions, Surveys, and More)
A website shouldn’t just be a digital brochure; it should be an engine for your campaign. We’ve baked in the tools you actually need to win.
Run Petitions: Mobilize your base around the issues that matter.
Conduct Surveys: Gather vital data on what your constituents are thinking.
Build Your List: Automatically capture volunteer sign-ups and push them directly to your email lists.
3. It’s Easy and Affordable
Campaign budgets are tight, and technical skills shouldn't be a barrier to entry. We designed Candidate Engine to be incredibly user-friendly. You don’t need to be a coder to set it up, and you don’t need a massive war chest to afford it.
Get Started for Free
The best part? It is free to get started. You can jump in, explore the features, and see exactly how it can work for your campaign before you commit.
If you or someone you know is running for office, head over to www.candidateengine.com and give it a spin. It’s time to give your campaign the digital presence it deserves.
Posted on January 13, 2026
This week we added 1 new email from Qiulae Wong - Opportunity Party Leader. The database now contains 2403 emails.
You can see them all here.
Posted on January 09, 2026
As we kick off 2026, I’ve been looking at how to make The Progress Report easier to use.
Over the last few years, I’ve added a huge amount of data to the site - from electorate profiles and historical polls to our caucus calculators. As the content grew, a lot of it ended up getting stuffed into an "Other" folder, which wasn't exactly user-friendly.
With the 2025 local elections behind us and the 2026 General Election on the horizon, I wanted to make sure you could find exactly what you need without digging. Today, we’re rolling out a new main menu structure designed around what you are actually looking for.
What’s Changed?
1. A Dedicated Home for Elections. We have pulled the upcoming election coverage out of the "Other" drawer. You will now find a top-level Elections tab. This is where you can find everything regarding the 2026 General Election candidates and news, as well as archives of previous votes.
2. Consolidated Calculators. I know many of you visit the site specifically to crunch the numbers. We have grouped our various tools under a new Calculators & Maps section. Instead of listing every single party’s caucus calculator in the main menu, we’ve organized them into a cleaner hub so you can get to the specific tool you need faster.
3. Better Polling Access. The Polling section has been streamlined. We’ve focused on the data that matters most right now—current trends and Preferred PM ratings—while moving older historical datasets (like the Jacinda Ardern approval ratings) into the archives so they don't clutter your daily view.
4. The Database. For those looking for deep-dive information, we have created a Database section. This is your new reference library, containing the Politician Database, Electorate Profiles, and the Ad Tracker.
I hope these changes make it easier for you to track the trends that define New Zealand politics. Have a click around and let us know what you think!
Posted on January 04, 2026
This week we added 1 new email from Jordan Williams. The database now contains 2402 emails.
You can see them all here.
Posted on January 02, 2026
This week we added 8 new emails from ACTion I ACT New Zealand, Chris Bishop, Christopher Luxon, Dom Yanzick Labour Candidate for Wigram, Jordan Williams, Julian Paul - New Zealand First President, New Zealand First and Qiulae Wong - Opportunity Party Leader. The database now contains 2401 emails.
You can see them all here.
Posted on December 26, 2025