ACT, NZ First hit back at National's warning against 'strategic voting'

National leader Christopher Luxon is pouring scorn on those advocating so-called strategic voting this election, labelling it an "insanely stupid idea".But his coalition partners have hit back, with David Seymour saying "both votes belong to the voter" and Winston Peters saying the comments were "very, very ill-informed".Some right-wing voices - including former National and ACT leader Don Brash - have been suggesting people give their party vote to ACT or New Zealand First - and their electorate vote to National - to try engineer an overhang.At National's campaign launch on Sunday, former prime minister Sir John Key urged against that, saying it would mean many National MPs would miss out.He used his speech to caution voters against splitting their vote, saying voters shouldn't try do something "you think is clever" that is the "opposite of clever".Luxon picked up the same message on Monday."It's an insanely stupid idea. There's only one way forward, which is actually to party vote National," he said."I want every single one of those 20 seats around that Cabinet table filled with National ministers."Winston Peters.RNZ / Baz MacdonaldBut ACT and New Zealand First came out swinging.Seymour suggested the warning was talking down to voters, and that it was "important to respect that both votes belong to the voter"."In my experience, voters are often busy, but they're not stupid, and it's never wise to talk down to them."He suggested people should use the party vote to reflect their values, and vote for the candidate that would answer their call at 5pm on a Friday.Peters said that it was "rather desperate" to have a former prime minister on stage with nobody behind him "giving out the wrong message".He explained it was the wrong message because the "very manipulation of the electoral system" Te Pāti Māori and those on the left were engaging in "has to have a response"."The response that Mr Key set out was simply just not appropriate and not right, and was very, very ill-informed in my view."For all things, and with every action, there's got to be a reaction. You cannot just fail to respond. That's what an election campaign's about."David Seymour.RNZ / Nathan McKinnonBrash told RNZ on Monday his suggestion of strategic voting was partly a reaction to Te Pāti Māori but also partly a reaction "to the fact that National's polling so poorly that their list vote looks to be weak, and by contrast, when they're in two horse races, their electorate votes look strong".Explaining the strategy, Brash said the situation was "unique" because for the first time in MMP's history, "it looks as if National will not win any list seats at all" given current polling.Brash suggested Sir John Key was "desperately trying to shore up the National Party's party vote"."For most of MMP's history, that was a logical thing to do," but on current polling, "they simply will get no list seats, given how strong they are in electorates" Brash added."So it's a real headache for them. People like Nicola Willis will not get into Parliament on current polling."Brash wasn't sure why the National party was doing it, and he had a very high regard for Sir John, but said "party vote National" had been the mantra "since basically '05".He understood the logic from the party's point of view, but said it was going to have "no positive effect" and potentially a negative effect on their chances of forming a centre-right government.