It all went wrong for the Act Party earlier in the year when the leader at the time, Rodney Hide, lost the confidence of his caucus. Don Brash, sniffing an opportunity, successfully executed an extraordinary leadership coup from outside of the party.
With Act's initial resurgence in the polls on the wane, Brash gave a key speech in which he outlined his preference for the decriminalisation of cannabis. It was at odds with Act's policy and in stark contrast with the views of his key Epsom candidate, John Banks.
With Banks on the ropes, Prime Minister John Key joined him for the infamous cup of tea, to give National supporters in Epsom the message to vote for Banks. It may have got Banks over the line, but I'd suggest it further damaged Act's brand. Nationally Act went from 3.65% of the party vote and five seats in Parliament following the 2008 election, to just 1.07% and only the one seat in Parliament following the current election.
Many commentators see this as the end of the road for Act, but I'm not convinced. For a small party they have a relatively strong structure and with Brash departing there's certainly a chance of a rebuild.
Note that the following analysis is based 2008 data and preliminary results from the 2011 election.
Biggest Party Vote by Electorate
| Rank | Electorate | Candidate | Party (%) | Change |
| 1 | Epsom | BANKS, John | 2.57 | +7 |
| 2 | Tamaki | BOSCAWEN, John | 2.45 | n/c |
| 3 | North Shore | BRASH, Don | 1.97 | n/c |
| 4 | Waikato | BOOM, Robin | 1.96 | +3 |
| 5 | Clutha-Southland | NICOLSON, Don | 1.86 | +18 |
| 6 | Pakuranga | SIMMONS, Chris | 1.81 | -2 |
| 7 | Whangarei | GRIEVE, Robin | 1.75 | +17 |
| 8 | Northland | BRILL, Barry | 1.67 | +10 |
| 9 | Botany | MURPHY, Lyn | 1.66 | +3 |
| 10 | East Coast Bays | HUTTON, Toby | 1.56 | n/c |
Banks' efforts returned Act's highest party vote in Epsom, although it's a marked reduction from the 6.22% that Rodney Hide achieved in 2008. Other notable performances include Clutha-Southland, Whangarei and Northland.
Smallest Party Vote by Electorate
| Rank | Electorate | Candidate | Party (%) | Change |
| 61 | Mana | WARREN, Michael | 0.47 | -6 |
| 62 | Christchurch East | | 0.34 | -2 |
| 63 | Mangere | COSTELLO, Casey | 0.33 | n/c |
| 64 | Te Tai Tokerau | | 0.24 | +3 |
| 65 | Hauraki-Waikato | | 0.23 | +1 |
| 66 | Ikaroa-Rawhiti | | 0.21 | +3 |
| 67 | Te Tai Tonga | | 0.18 | -2 |
| 68 | Tamaki Makaurau | | 0.15 | -4 |
| 69 | Waiariki | | 0.14 | +1 |
| 70 | Te Tai Hauauru | | 0.14 | -2 |
It's no surprise to see the Maori seats performing the poorest for Act.
Biggest increase in Party Vote by Electorate
| Rank | Electorate | Candidate | Party (%) | Change |
| 19 | Invercargill | CARLINE, Ian | 1.24 | +26 |
| 5 | Clutha-Southland | NICOLSON, Don | 1.86 | +18 |
| 22 | Bay of Plenty | | 1.17 | +18 |
| 7 | Whangarei | GRIEVE, Robin | 1.75 | +17 |
| 24 | Tauranga | McCABE, Kath | 1.16 | +17 |
| 25 | Kaikoura | EVANS, Richard | 1.15 | +13 |
| 45 | West Coast-Tasman | BIRCHFIELD, Allan | 0.83 | +11 |
| 8 | Northland | BRILL, Barry | 1.67 | +10 |
| 39 | East Coast | NORVILL, John | 0.94 | +9 |
| 23 | Taupo | JOLLANDS, Rosanne | 1.17 | +9 |
Rankings for the deep south improved over others, suggesting that good work was done by both Candidates there.
Biggest decrease in Party Vote by Electorate
| Rank | Electorate | Candidate | Party (%) | Change |
| 37 | Rangitata | CORBETT, Tom | 1.01 | -10 |
| 39 | New Lynn | STEINIJANS, Barbara | 0.95 | -10 |
| 18 | Helensville | KEARNEY, Nick | 1.41 | -12 |
| 42 | Selwyn | | 0.90 | -12 |
| 35 | Hamilton East | MALLETT, Garry | 1.03 | -13 |
| 41 | Hamilton West | | 0.92 | -13 |
| 16 | Hunua | CUMMINGS, Ian | 1.44 | -14 |
| 49 | Ohariu | | 1.76 | -14 |
| 22 | Rodney | HOULBROOKE, Beth | 1.18 | -16 |
| 33 | Papakura | THOMPSON, John | 1.08 | -24 |
Both urban and rural feature among the electorates with the biggest drop in rankings, reinforcing the view that Act were suffering from a damaged brand as opposed to a switch in policy which might effect one over the other.
Act Party Vote by Electorate – Full Results
| Rank | Electorate | Candidate | Party (%) | Change |
| 27 | Auckland Central | SEYMOUR, David | 1.14 | -7 |
| 22 | Bay of Plenty | | 1.17 | +19 |
| 9 | Botany | MURPHY, Lyn | 1.66 | +4 |
| 47 | Christchurch Central | SEVERIN, Toni | 0.76 | -2 |
| 62 | Christchurch East | | 0.34 | -2 |
| 5 | Clutha-Southland | NICOLSON, Don | 1.86 | +18 |
| 16 | Coromandel | | 1.41 | n/c |
| 51 | Dunedin North | McCALLUM, Guy | 0.70 | +5 |
| 58 | Dunedin South | HANNAH, Kimberly | 0.59 | n/c |
| 39 | East Coast | NORVILL, John | 0.94 | +10 |
| 10 | East Coast Bays | HUTTON, Toby | 1.56 | n/c |
| 1 | Epsom | BANKS, John | 2.57 | +7 |
| 34 | Hamilton East | MALLETT, Garry | 1.03 | -13 |
| 40 | Hamilton West | | 0.92 | -13 |
| 65 | Hauraki-Waikato | | 0.23 | +1 |
| 17 | Helensville | KEARNEY, Nick | 1.41 | -12 |
| 15 | Hunua | CUMMINGS, Ian | 1.44 | -14 |
| 48 | Hutt South | SPEIRS, Alex | 0.72 | -5 |
| 66 | Ikaroa-Rawhiti | | 0.21 | +3 |
| 29 | Ilam | VEALE, Gareth | 1.13 | -5 |
| 19 | Invercargill | CARLINE, Ian | 1.24 | +27 |
| 25 | Kaikoura | EVANS, Richard | 1.15 | +14 |
| 61 | Mana | WARREN, Michael | 0.47 | -6 |
| 63 | Mangere | COSTELLO, Casey | 0.33 | n/c |
| 59 | Manukau East | MACFARLANE, Jonathan | 0.56 | +3 |
| 57 | Manurewa | PETERSON, David | 0.61 | -4 |
| 20 | Maungakiekie | | 1.20 | -6 |
| 37 | Mt Albert | BOYLE, Stephen | 0.96 | -4 |
| 30 | Mt Roskill | NAND, Pratima | 1.10 | +4 |
| 31 | Napier | ORMOND, John | 1.08 | -1 |
| 52 | Nelson | HUFFLETT, Paul Charles | 0.70 | n/c |
| 38 | New Lynn | STEINIJANS, Barbara | 0.95 | -10 |
| 35 | New Plymouth | | 1.01 | +2 |
| 3 | North Shore | BRASH, Don | 1.97 | n/c |
| 14 | Northcote | KRONFELD, Tim | 1.47 | -3 |
| 8 | Northland | BRILL, Barry | 1.67 | +11 |
| 49 | Ohariu | | 1.76 | -14 |
| 56 | Otaki | McCAFFREY, Peter | 0.65 | -8 |
| 6 | Pakuranga | SIMMONS, Chris | 1.81 | -2 |
| 50 | Palmerston North | STRATTON, Daniel | 0.70 | -6 |
| 32 | Papakura | THOMPSON, John | 1.08 | -23 |
| 46 | Port Hills | RUSSELL, Geoff | 0.78 | +8 |
| 36 | Rangitata | CORBETT, Tom | 1.01 | -10 |
| 11 | Rangitikei | FITZGERALD, Hayden | 1.52 | +7 |
| 53 | Rimutaka | COURTENAY, Alwyn | 0.68 | -3 |
| 21 | Rodney | HOULBROOKE, Beth | 1.18 | -15 |
| 55 | Rongotai | LATIMER, Joel | 0.65 | +4 |
| 44 | Rotorua | | 0.84 | +3 |
| 41 | Selwyn | | 0.90 | -12 |
| 2 | Tamaki | BOSCAWEN, John | 2.45 | n/c |
| 68 | Tamaki Makaurau | | 0.15 | -4 |
| 12 | Taranaki-King Country | | 1.51 | n/c |
| 23 | Taupo | JOLLANDS, Rosanne | 1.17 | +9 |
| 24 | Tauranga | McCABE, Kath | 1.16 | +18 |
| 42 | Te Atatu | COSTELLO, Dominic | 0.89 | -4 |
| 70 | Te Tai Hauauru | | 0.14 | -2 |
| 64 | Te Tai Tokerau | | 0.24 | +3 |
| 67 | Te Tai Tonga | | 0.18 | -2 |
| 13 | Tukituki | BURNSIDE, Robert | 1.50 | +4 |
| 69 | Waiariki | | 0.14 | +1 |
| 4 | Waikato | BOOM, Robin | 1.96 | +3 |
| 60 | Waimakariri | | 0.51 | -9 |
| 18 | Wairarapa | ATKINSON, Shane | 1.31 | -3 |
| 43 | Waitakere | | 0.86 | -7 |
| 28 | Waitaki | NICHOLLS, Colin | 1.13 | +3 |
| 26 | Wellington Central | WHITTINGTON, Stephen | 1.15 | -4 |
| 45 | West Coast-Tasman | BIRCHFIELD, Allan | 0.83 | +12 |
| 33 | Whanganui | DAVIDSON, Alan Daniel | 1.06 | +7 |
| 7 | Whangarei | GRIEVE, Robin | 1.75 | +18 |
| 54 | Wigram | | 0.67 | +7 |