This report explores the use of political marketing and management during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides valuable insights into political marketing and management in practice.

Key findings:

• The most important issues for voters during the 2020 election campaign were the economy (e.g. economic recovery, job creation, taxes), COVID-19, healthcare, the environment, labour (e.g. employment, personal income) and housing.
• There is still a desire for a more interventionist government that provides greater support for those less well off a continuing trend from the 2014 and 2017 Vote Compass data.
• Newly discovered through the 2020 Vote Compass data, there is also a public desire for a more protectionist government that makes New Zealand less reliant on other countries for taxes companies exporting water, and deports convicted foreigners.
• The 2020 Vote Compass data also showed that there is room for leadership on issues such as oil and gas exploration and where public opinion was divided or more neutral, thus providing an opening for persuasion.