Editorial: Time for the people to decide who will be our MPs

Andrew Austin, Editor of Hawke's Bay Today.

The elections are turning out to be the most exciting in years with some saying it is too close to call.

Locally, we have seven candidates standing in Tukituki, but it is probably only a two-horse race with the others there to get the party vote or promote their causes.

It is almost certain to say that the next Tukituki MP will be either Anna Lorck of Labour or National's Lawrence Yule. Given that National has held the seat for a number of years, there is still an expectation that Mr Yule will win.

However, Ms Lorck knows the issues, is running a very local campaign and has toned down the negativity that put some people offside last time The key for Mr Yule will be if the voters have forgiven him for the Havelock North water crisis, which happened on his watch as Hastings mayor.

Ikaroa-Rawhiti is also shaping up to be a good battle with the main challenge for incumbent Meka Whaitiri of Labour coming from Maori Party co-leader Marama Fox. The latest Reid Research poll for Māori TV shows Ms Whaitiri on 55 per cent and Ms Fox on 39 per cent.

Labour incumbent Stuart Nash would have to be the favourite for Napier with his main opponent David Elliott of National running a rather different campaign. Traditionally National gets many party votes from Napier, but Mr Elliott needs to up his game if he wants to beat the very popular Mr Nash.

Wairarapa will be a good contest with the current MP Alastair Scott of National's main competition coming from NZ First's Ron Mark and Labour's Kieran McAnulty. Mr Mark is a wily politician, but some will say Mr Scott has done enough to be re-elected.

On September 23, the people will tell us exactly who they want.