Election 2020: Labour ahead in all Hawke's Bay electorates

Labour MP Stuart Nash arriving at his party HQ in Napier after about 25 per cent of the vote had been counted, giving him a 2245 lead over National's Katie Nimon. Photo / Ian Cooper

Labour has swept into all four electorates in Hawke's Bay.

After roughly 50 per cent of the vote had been counted, Labour had leads in Napier, Ikaroa Rawhiti and former National strongholds Tukituki and Wairarapa.

As the night rolled on, Labour maintained its leads in all four electorates, with Labour candidate Anna Lorck taking out what was correctly predicted to be a tight race in Tukituki by 772 votes over Lawrence Yule.

Labour also took the National stronghold of Wairarapa.

Labour list MP Kieran McAnulty (19519) ended election night with a comprehensive 5411 margin over National candidate Mike Butterick (14108).

The Labour Party also took 47.4 per cent of the Wairarapa party vote, reversing the 2017 result which saw National dominate the seat.

In Ikaroa Rawhiti, Labour's Meka Whaitiri was voted back in, and Ikaroa Green party candidate Dr Elizabeth Kerekere has made it into parliament as a list MP.

Here's how the night unfolded.

Napier

At 9.30pm, with 62 per cent of the vote counted, Labour MP Stuart Nash was ahead of National's Katie Nimon with 15,304 votes versus Nimon's 10,420 after 35 per cent of the vote had been counted.

Earlier in the evening, with 29 per cent of the vote counted, Stuart Nash had been leading Nimon by 2200 votes but said he had learned to not count his chickens in politics.

"There's many more votes to be counted before we can celebrate," he said.

"Katie's a good candidate and she ran a good campaign."

But Nash was thrilled with Labour's party vote results both in Napier and throughout the country.

"A lot of these seats that we haven't held since 2008 look like they might be coming back to Labour."

First time candidate Nimon was heartened by her performance.

"Its early days and National voters tend to vote early in the piece, so to be that close early on is great," she said.

And while Nimon acknowledged the party vote across the country didn't look great for National at about 26 per cent to Labour's 50 per cent, she said she expected that to change for the same reason.

"National voters vote on the day, they're traditionalists, so you'll see a big boost, we just don't know by how much."

National candidate Katie Nimon with supporters at her party HQ in Napier - the Napier War Memorial and Conference Centre.

In Napier at 9pm, Labour had 50.9 per cent of the party vote and National 28.7 per cent - a switch of the result from the last election which saw National take the party vote in the electorate.

Nash said he thinks the government's handling of Covid 19 may have been reflected in the party vote, and that people see Jacinda Ardern to be genuine and compassionate.

"I think at this point in time New Zealand was looking for an inclusive prime minister that had a plan, as opposed to someone who was seen to be more divisive."

Tukituki

The electorate billed as being the tightest race in Hawke's Bay has Labour candidate Anna Lorck leading incumbent MP Lawrence Yule by 1262 at 9.35pm with 12,589 votes versus Yule's 11,327 after 56.5 per cent of the vote counted.

Lorck's margin has fluctuated as late votes come in, from 1821 at one point, down to 940, then back up again to 1262.

After 30 per cent had been counted, Lorck said she was feeling "overwhelmed at the support."

"We've run an incredibly hard campaign for seven years and it is overwhelming...this is the accumulation of seven years of hard work."

"It's taken 15 years to turn this seat to Labour, I cannot underestimate the huge swing to Labour and the phenomenal leadership in Jacinda Ardern, it's amazing."

Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule pictured campaigning in the lead up to the election.

Tukituki Labour candidate Anna Lorck.

Ikaroa Rawhiti

In the huge Ikaroa Rawhiti electorate, incumbent Labour MP Meka Whaitiri will be returned, with an unassailable lead over Maori Party's Heather Te Au-Skipworth at 9.45pm.

After 67 per cent of the vote had been counted, Whaitiri had 8148 votes - a 3955 lead over Te Au-Skipworth (4193).

The Labour party have picked up a massive 67.40 per cent of the party vote in Ikaroa Rawhiti. The Maori Party has 11.4

Green party candidate Dr Elizabeth Kerekere was third placed with 1158 votes, and has secured a List MP position after the Green's earned 10 places in parliament.

Labour Party MP Meka Whaitiri and Maori Party candidate Heather Te Au-Skipworth.

Wairarapa

Previously a National stronghold, at 9.40pm, Labour list MP Kieran McAnulty (17442) looked to be heading for a comprehensive 5000 plus margin over new Nats candidate Mike Butterick (12349). The party vote in the electorate has swung toward Labour, at 47.9 per cent, versus National's 29.6

The two combatants in Wairarapa - a crucial National-held seat: List MP and Labour hopeful Kieran McAnulty (left), and new National candidate Mike Butterick.