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No surprise last-minute names have emerged in the South, as the Electoral Commission on Friday released the final list of candidates for this year’s election.
In fact, the main talking point may be the people who are not standing rather than those who are.
Several of the major parties are not fielding candidates in the seats south of the Waitaki.
There is no Act New Zealand candidate in Dunedin or Invercargill — a seat where New Zealand First is also not standing.
Meanwhile, the Green Party is not putting up candidates in Waitaki or Southland, and Opportunity has not replaced its candidate in Taieri after he withdrew.
Of the parties represented in Parliament, only three are standing in Invercargill.
Sitting MP Penny Simmonds chose to see that as a positive: “I think it says that people are very pleased with the representation that they are getting from their MP at the moment, and so they’re not seeing a case for change.’’
On the other hand Labour candidate Janice Lee, a political first-timer, felt that the political climate was deterring would-be candidates.
“People are tending to more stay away because they just don’t like the shenanigans that they’re seeing in there. They want to have their candidates to be accessible to them.
“What they are telling me is ‘congratulations, good luck, but I wouldn’t go for there for all the tea in China’.’’
Greens candidate Dave Kennedy, a veteran of several election campaigns, felt that a lot of people were disillusioned with politics and politicians.
“People have felt that their voices just aren’t heard and that traditional parties just aren’t serving their purposes. So, that’s why I feel there’s perhaps a bit of a disconnect at the moment with party politics.’’
Across New Zealand, 17 registered political parties and 530 candidates will be contesting the 2026 general election.