Labour has chosen former Kāpiti Coast District Councillor Sophie Handford as its candidate for the new Kāpiti electorate in the 2026 general election.
The electorate, which stretches from Ōtaki to the northern edge of the new Kenepuru electorate in Porirua, will be contested for the first time next year.
Handford, 24, first gained national attention as a student leader of the School Strike for Climate NZ movement. She later made headlines again when she was elected to the Kāpiti Coast District Council at just 18, one of the youngest ever to do so.
“I’m really proud to be standing for Labour here at home,” said Handford. “Kāpiti has shaped me. It’s where I learned the value of community and looking out for one another. I want our electorate to have an MP who is present, listens, and focuses on what really matters to people.”
Handford said her priorities include improving access to healthcare, easing the cost of living, supporting local jobs, and protecting the environment.
“Kāpiti is full of people who care deeply about this place. I’ll be out talking with as many locals as I can, hearing what’s working, what’s not, and where we can do better.”
She has been endorsed by Mana MP Barbara Edmonds, who described her as a strong advocate for community-led change.
Raised in Paekākāriki and now living in Waikanae, Handford served two terms representing the Paekākāriki–Raumati Ward. During her time on Council, she chaired the Strategy, Operations and Finance Committee, and worked on environmental restoration, housing challenges, and decarbonisation initiatives.