Fifteen registered parties and 554 candidates will contest this year's election, up from 13 parties and 544 candidates in 2011.
The electorates with the most candidates are Epsom, where Act New Zealand candidate David Seymour needs to win to save the party, and Tauranga, which both have 11 candidates. Hauraki-Waikato has the lowest number of candidates with three.
Of the candidates, 390 men and 164 women are standing in 2014, compared with 397 men and 147 women in 2011.
Internet Mana is the new party this year, although Mana stood at the previous election.
The Internet Party, funded by internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom, joined with Mana Movement and has 35 candidates with the Internet Party standing 15 electorate candidates and the Mana Movement 18. Some of the candidates are list only.
Former MP Laila Harre is the leader of the Internet Party and Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira leads Mana.
Dunedin North has nine candidates, including three sitting MPs standing as both list candidates and electorate candidates.
Sitting MP is Labour's David Clark with Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei and Immigration Minister and National candidate Michael Woodhouse also standing in the electorate.
Two independents - Stan Lusby and Adrian Graamans - are standing in Dunedin North.
Rongotai will also have three sitting MPs contesting the seat with
Annette King (Labour) up against Green co-leader Russel Norman and Attorney-general Chris Finlayson, both of whom are list MPs.
Dunedin South has eight candidates including sitting MP Clare Curran (Labour) and the leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party Julian Crawford.
Clutha-Southland will this time be without Finance Minister Bill English as its candidate as he has opted to be a list-only this year. His National Party replacement is former tobacco company employee Todd Barkley.
Invercargill will also have a new MP after the retirement announcement of National MP Eric Roy. National's candidate this year is Sarah Dowie, who is standing against Democrats for Social Credit leader Stephnie de Ruyter and long-time Labour activist and former MP Lesley Soper.
Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean faces four other candidates in her bid to retain the seat, including Glenda Alexander, who is standing for Labour.
In Te Tai Tonga, which takes in the South Island and a small part of the lower North Island, Labour MP Rino Tirikatene will be up against former Christchurch deputy mayor Ngaire Button from the Maori Party and former Labour MP Georgina Beyer, who this year is standing for Mana.
Contesting parties
1. Act New Zealand
2. Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
3. Ban 1080
4. Conservative
5. Democrats for Social Credit
6. Focus New Zealand
7. Green Party
8. Internet Mana
9. Labour Party
10. Maori Party
11. National Party
12. New Zealand First Party
13. NZ Independent Coalition
14. The Civilian Party
15. United Future
