The Waikato electorate is a productive rural heartland that wraps around the northern and western edges of Hamilton city. Anchored by the mighty Waikato River, it encompasses vibrant service towns such as Morrinsville, Huntly, Matamata, and Te Kauwhata. The region is the engine room of New Zealand’s dairy industry, featuring intensive farming and equine industries, alongside significant energy infrastructure like the Huntly Power Station. Politically, the seat is a stronghold for the National Party, reflecting its conservative, rural, and business-focused demographic. It has been held by National continuously since its re-establishment in 2008 and is currently represented by Tim van de Molen, who has held the seat since 2017. The electorate’s voting patterns are remarkably consistent, providing a reliable bank of support for the centre-right. In the 2025 boundary review the Waikato electorate’s boundaries were unchanged from the 2020 review.