Marking time. Photo / Chris Keall
With political coverage and advertising banned, some media again turned to photo montages of dogs at polling places to fill the abyss.
I was going to write a shrill opt-ed about how the law is an ass, given 1.98 million people cast an advance vote while their delicate minds were being assaulted by media - but, on reflection, 12am to 7pm on election day is a nice island of peace. Let's keep it.
In July, Winston Peters told RNZ his party had inked a contract with self-styled "Brexit bad boys" Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore - the mischievous UK duo behind the controversial but effective "Leave EU" campaign.
In the final event, it's not clear how much work or advice Banks and Wigmore gave NZ first - but if any funds changed hands, NZ First should ask for its money back after its spectacularly flat online campaign. Not one for the Bad Boys' CV.
David Bennett won Hamilton East by 5000 votes in 2017.
After proposing the cruelest tax, he was out on his ear last night.
Omnipresent Herald political journo Jason Walls briefly gained stardom on US political social media, after correspondent Joyce Karem picked up on the PM's concern for "Justin"'s welfare.
For the record, Jason/Justin is fine - just a tad insecure:
I'll have what he's having. Act leader David Seymour was very happy during his victory speech.
Tech commentator and former 1News journo Pat Pilcher (aka @Iminwellington) got suspended from Twitter after an inopportune remark about Advance Party leader Billy Te Kahika.
Pilcher told the Herald in an exclusive interview, carried out via DM on a rival social media platform, "I just saw red when Billy TK refused to wear his mask properly on that Air New Zealand flight and suggested that someone should punch him in the face. Nek minute -banned. Isn't it ironic that Billy TK who's irresponsible behaviour is atrocious is still on Twitter... and I get banned for calling him out. The upside is I am getting a tonne more done."
Runner up: Facebook, for cutting off Billy TK in the middle of a streaming video address to the faithful as it took down his party's website for spreading misinformation.
After something of a lost weekend, the social media giant is starting to find its social responsibility mojo.
It defied analysis, but one Richard Parry gave it a shot:
Forget that Diplomatic Protection officer with the hipster beard. This gentleman had an instant fan base.
Well, someone had to come last. On the night it was HeartlandNZ, who fell behind Social Credit at the last moment - despite its home page featuring hands-down the best photo of a party leader dealing to a cabbage. Thanks for participating, Mark Ball, and we'll see you in 2023.
Expect your expresso to be more expensive in 2025.