A political expert says re-election would be "devastating" for New Zealand if major parties' votes fall short.
"People wouldn't want to waste another Saturday," Victoria University politics associate professor Lara Greaves said.
This year's election will be tight, with new polls confirming smaller political parties are likely to be the decider as votes fall away from Labour and National.
The smaller political parties all have their non-negotiables - the policies they won't give up if they enter a coalition with either of the two big players - but if the major parties don't agree to those bottom lines it will mean a minority Government.
In this case, a Government can be formed with the support of independent and/or minor party members - but they will not actually join the Government or give them the votes in the house to pass ordinary legislation.
Another option, the last resort, could be a snap election.
On Saturday, Dr Greaves told Newshub Nation's political panel a re-election would be "devastating".
"Coalition is only one possibility but we've also seen over our kind of history of MMP different kinds of innovative arrangements… We are kind of making it up as we go," Dr Greaves said. "Ruling in and ruling out is all fine and good until it's either go with them in some kind of weird funky new innovative arrangement or go back to the polls.
"Most people… are not going to want to go back to the polls. You don't want to be the party who calls another election."
Watch the full video for more.
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