The scoops are counted, the spoons are down, and David S’more has licked the competition! But with no flavour winning a cabinet majority, there’s still some delicious coalition maths to churn through…

What an EPIC six weeks, Christchurch. Seven flavours, three cafés, x6 politician visits, x6 free-scoop hours, national headlines and enough cabinet drama to fill a freezer.

Our fourth Scoop Poll has officially wrapped!

📊 THE FINAL RESULTS

🔥 David S’more — 26%
🫐 Blueberry Lux — 24%
🍒 Cherry on ’Op — 15%
🍠 Kai Reka Kūmara — 13%
🍊 Orange Choc Chippy — 10%
🍵 Marama Matcha — 6%
🍬 Allsorts of Winston — 5%

Percentages are rounded. Scoops were generous.

David S’more takes the title, with Blueberry Lux finishing a close second. Together, they’ve got half the scoop vote - still short of a majority! Add Allsorts of Winston and there’s a winning triple-scoop coalition. Or could Cherry on ’Op sweeten a different deal? In this cabinet, we’re open to allsorts of combinations.

Quick note on the politics: (outside of the cabinet) To govern, a party needs MORE than half of the parliament seats. If no party has enough to govern alone, they can team up in a coalition or arrange support from other parties.

Sound familiar? The real election has served up its own cliffhanger, with National, ACT and NZ First holding a narrow lead in seats while special votes could still change the coalition maths. Turns out building a cabinet takes a little longer when you can’t just add another scoop!

🔥 HOW THE LEAD WAS LICKED

Blueberry Lux came out swinging with an early free-scoop visit (on Day 1!!), but S’more wasn’t about to crumble. By the end of week one, the pair were tied on 25% each. S’more edged ahead in week two, only for Blueberry to catch up again by 30 October. Two flavours, one very crowded podium. Our Scoop leaders have never been that close before!!

Then David Seymour visited Cashel Street. His free-scoop hour helped nudge S’more back into the lead - and that’s where it stayed until the final spoonful. Perhaps the strategy of coming in in the final week helped secure his spot! 🤔

Further down the cone, Cherry on ’Op proved a seriously fruity contender, climbing from an early 11% to finishing third. Qiulae Wong’s visit helped add another scoop pile along the way.

Kai Reka Kūmara quietly dug its way up the rankings to finish fourth. A strong campaign from a root vegetable. Officially holding the most customer comments for one flavour! 👑 

🎤 POLITICIANS, SCOOP-OFFS & SIDEWAYS RAIN

The campaign trail came straight through our café doors, with visits from Christopher Luxon, Chris Hipkins, Qiulae Wong, Chlöe Swarbrick, David Seymour and Marama Davidson. There were cones to conquer, questions to answer ("the most intriguing set of questions in 5 years of politics" - Christopher Luxon) and scoop-off skills to put to the test.

Chlöe’s visit helped Marama Matcha bounce back earlier in the poll. When Marama herself arrived at New Regent Street later in the campaign, Christchurch served up a less cooperative forecast: a sunny, 26-degree day turned into a thunderstorm by her arrival. Matcha didn’t get the same lift that time. Frank would like an umbrella written into the next Scoop Poll agreement.

🗞️ THE CABINET MADE HEADLINES

Our little gelato election travelled well beyond the freezer - onto Ryan Bridge’s TV desk, into the Newstalk ZB studio and across the news pages.

We even found ourselves described as “The real winner of Election 2026?” A Christchurch ice cream shop! With John Macdonald even asking when there will be a Rollickin political Party....👀

🧡 MORE THAN A FLAVOUR CONTEST

Behind every pun was the reason we brought the Scoop Poll back: getting people talking about politics, learning how voting works and feeling confident enough to take part and have their voice heard.

Our Scoop Reporters, Libby and Caleb, helped bring the interviews, explainers and voting myth-busting to your screens. We learnt alongside you, with guidance from the Electoral Commission — from party votes and electorates to why winning the biggest scoop doesn’t automatically hand you the whole cabinet.

To everyone who licked a flavour (or 7), followed the updates, asked a question, brought a mate or cast their first real vote: THANK YOU. And a massive shout-out to our chefs, bakers, scoopers, reporters, visiting politicians and media for getting stuck in.

Seven parties. Seven flavours. One scoop = one vote. Completely neutral, enthusiastically scooped.

That’s a wrap, folks. May your coalitions hold together longer than a seven-scoop cone. 🍦

Our final scoops are in, but we’re still waiting on the official election results, due 27 November. Until then, we’ll be watching the coalition combinations with a spoon in hand. 🍦