Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidates on the election home stretch

Candidates left to right: Dr Elizabeth KereKere (Greens), Marama Fox (Maori) and Meka Whaitiri (Labour). Photo/File

The three Ikaroa-Rāwhiti election candidates are putting rubber on the road to ensure all possible votes in the final few days of the campaign.

Incumbent electorate MP Meka Whaitiri of the Labour Party has this election taken herself off the party list - meaning if she does not win the electorate, she will not return to Parliament.

"It's been as hectic as since we [rose] from Parliament. It's a huge electorate - from Potaka to Wainuiomata - and so this week is no different to other weeks in terms of busyness and getting around the electorate," Ms Whaitiri said.

She has been, and will be, up and down coast. Ms Whaitiri was in Hicks Bay yesterday, Gisborne the day before, and the Hutt Valley today.

"It's going to be a very, very close race. We don't want to leave any stone unturned.

"We're working hard for a Jacinda-led Government, and also a member of Parliament - myself - that will work really hard for the electorate to unlock the potential in it. There is so much we could be doing that National has neglected."

The Maori Party's list MP in the electorate, Marama Fox, has also put in thousands of kilometres on the road in the electorate, while juggling nationwide duties as co-leader of the party.

"The week's been phenomenal," Ms Fox said.

She said over the last week, her campaign bus tour travelled to Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, Naenae, Wairarapa, Hastings, Napier, Gisborne, back to Wairoa, all the way up to Hicks Bay, and through every town in between.

She'll also be up to Auckland, and then back down through the electorate all before Saturday.

"And then back to Masterton, where I'll spend Saturday making a hangi for 100 people, win or lose. It's been a huge three years.

"The response is changing. They went from talking about issues to talking about strategic voting. Most Maori I talk to want a change - although there's a core group who don't want a change.

"They're choosing to have me back in, when I see them, and they're hoping for a change."

If the Maori Party holds the balance of power, Ms Fox said she didn't have a clear preference for any coalition partner or a confidence and supply agreement - just that New Zealand was stronger with the Maori Party in Government.

"If both sides needs us to govern, we'll sit down and negotiate... it's much of a muchness for me."

Academic, activist, artist and community worker Elizabeth Kerekere of the Green Party said she will spend today and tomorrow doing last-minute door knocks and phone calls to encourage people to vote Green.

"I have a mixture of excitement and anticipation as Saturday draws closer. So many have voted in advance but just as many will wait till Saturday and some have still not decided," Dr Kerekere said.

"As a candidate I can't do those things on Saturday so I will be making an artwork that expresses my thoughts about this election. We have campaigned hard to put a strong Green heart inside a new progressive government. I look forward to watching that unfold as the results come in."