Te Tai Tonga is geographically the largest electorate in New Zealand, covering the entire South Island, Stewart Island (Rakiura), and the Chatham Islands (Rēkohu), while also extending across the Cook Strait to include parts of the Wellington region. This unique cross-strait configuration encompasses the rohe of Ngāi Tahu in the south, alongside Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira in the north. The electorate is defined by its immense scale and diversity, linking isolated rural communities and fishing towns with the urban Māori populations of Christchurch, Dunedin, and the capital. Politically, the seat was a Labour Party stronghold for decades, held by the Tirikatene family for much of its history. However, the 2023 general election delivered a significant shift when Tākuta Ferris won the seat for Te Pāti Māori, ending Labour's long dominance. The electorate has since entered a period of political volatility; in late 2025, Ferris was expelled from Te Pāti Māori and now sits as an Independent MP, leaving the seat without formal party representation. At the 2025 boundary review Te Tai Tonga lost an area in Lower Hutt and its eastern bays area to Ikaroa-Rāwhiti.