The political candidates in Dunedin South could finally breathe a sigh of relief last night as the last candidates' evening in the electorate ground to a close.
However, only three of the candidates standing in the electorate were at the meeting - Labour candidate and MP Clare Curran, National Party candidate Hamish Walker and Green candidate Shane Gallagher.
Conservative candidate for Dunedin North Jonathan Daley was there representing the absent Cindy Kerr - a very nice woman, according to Mr Daley, who read out a political biography on why the 24 people present at Bathgate Park School should vote for her.
Dennis Mariu was representing the Maori Party, which has no candidate in Dunedin South but does have one trying to win Te Tai Tonga.
Parties not represented were Act New Zealand, the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, Internet Mana and the Democrats for Social Credit.
The vagaries of New Zealand's voting system came to the fore when each of the five candidates was asked why those present should vote for them.
Mr Gallagher said he did not want anyone to vote for him, as he wanted them to party vote Green only. Mr Daley said no-one could vote for him unless they came from Dunedin North, and Mr Mariu was not a candidate.
Mr Mariu was also asked why people should vote for the Maori Party.
That left Mr Walker and Ms Curran, with both of them needing the electorate vote more than the party vote.
Mr Walker is so far down the National Party list that, on current polling, he will get into Parliament only by winning the electorate, and Ms Curran is not on the Labour list, so needs to retain the seat to return to Parliament.
A clear choice, and a chance to push their chances - so you would think.
Those attending will still be waiting to hear why they should vote for Mr Walker.
After spending most of the time allotted to answering the question in attacking Labour and Ms Curran's response to an earlier question, Mr Walker asked voters to party vote National and, almost as an afterthought, also vote for him.
Ms Curran asked for both votes and said the way to change the government was to party vote Labour.
She then told people why they should vote for her personally - she was a strong advocate for Dunedin South and she loved Dunedin.
''I have strong opinions and don't always make friends with my opinions. But the communities which make up the electorate know what I stand for and I try to do what I say I will do.''
A rambling question on insulation asked of Mr Daley ended in Mr Walker and Ms Curran arguing over how many houses had been insulated in New Zealand.
As the Otago Daily Times left the meeting, Labour supporters sitting on the right of the hall and National supporters on the left were exchanging jibes about tax, jobs and whatever else they could think up to use as insults.
It is doubtful anyone changed their vote last night.
