Sam Uffindell is the MP for Tauranga, but lives with his family in Paengaroa, west of Te Puke. Photo: Supplied / Hagen Hopkins
Both the Tauranga mayor and local electorate MP live outside the area, and this will not change under the new electoral boundaries.
But MP Sam Uffindell said living 20 minutes outside the electorate had not stopped him being able the serve his community.
Boundary and name changes for the 2026 General Election were released by the Representation Commission last week.
The Tauranga electorate - represented by Uffindell - expanded westward to the boundary with Coromandel, while losing Mt Maunganui to the renamed Mt Maunganui electorate, which is currently called Bay of Plenty and represented by Tom Rutherford.
"We lose Mt Maunganui to the newly renamed electorate, but we are very fortunate to pick up the fantastic communities of Te Puna, Minden, and a big chunk of the Kaimais," said Uffindell about the changes.
Other parts of the southern outskirts of Tauranga city move into the Rotorua electorate, currently represented by Todd McClay.
RNZ approached Uffindell to see if the changes meant he was no longer living in the electorate - only to find out he never was. He lives with his family in Paengaroa, west of Te Puke.
"I think the important thing for the people of Tauranga to know is that I can get there really quickly and if it means I have to leave a little bit earlier then that's exactly what I do," Uffindell said.
Tauranga mayor Mahe Drysdale also lives outside of the area, about an hour away south-west of the city and near Cambridge.
Drysdale had said he would move if elected but had not done so yet.
Uffindell said he was always looking at properties within the electorate.
"But it's a fine balance between family and schools and all of that," he said.
Uffindell represented the National Party and said that every electoral cycle the party must reselect their candidate. He said he planned to stand for selection again.
"I will seek selection later in the year to be the National Party candidate, and hopefully the good people of Tauranga elect me again to be their representative," he said.
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