Election 2020: Complaint about Hannah Tamaki, Vision NZ signs on election day

A complaint was laid on election day about signs on Hannah Tamaki's electoral office in Rotorua.

It was "one of a couple of dozen complaints about billboards around the country" on Saturday, the Electoral Commission told the Rotorua Daily Post.

"We received a complaint about this sign at 4pm on Saturday," a spokesman said, when asked about the Vision NZ complaint.

"We contacted the party secretary and the sign was covered. Our practice is to follow up with the parties concerned to have them removed as soon as possible."

Hannah Tamaki's office in Rotorua on election day. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Rotorua Daily Post photo taken early on Saturday evening shows signs included the statement: "Hannah Tamaki for Waiariki".

Vision NZ had thought the office signs could stay up, a party spokeswoman said.

She said the party had been advised about the complaint and attempted to cover the signs.

Hannah Tamaki said she was "a little bit sad" about the complaint as she made an effort to comply with all rules.

"We left the car [with signwriting] parked in the garage, we read the Electoral Commission booklets, all of those things."

Vision NZ's Hannah Tamaki with supporters in Rotorua on election night. Photo / File

Electoral Commission could not confirm whether any other complaints were laid in electorates within the Waiariki boundaries against Vision NZ or any other party.

The commission's rules state all campaign signs must be taken down before election day.

"This includes signs and graphics on vehicles and bumper stickers."

Parties can keep signs on their headquarters and they can "keep statements, party names, logos, slogans and emblems" on headquarters on election day "if they don't refer specifically to the election or referendum campaign".

Vision NZ won 0.1 per cent of the party vote nationally, with 2775 votes in preliminary results.

Party leader Hannah Tamaki got 838 votes for the Waiariki seat, of the 20,846 cast.

On election night, close to 50 people congregated at Destiny Church in Rotorua for a party for her.

Tamaki hosted a campaign party at the Pullman Hotel.

On the night she said she was "optimistic but realistic" and her campaign was vital in building a platform and clearing some perceptions of her.

"I wanted to give it a good go. I'm not a political person but I am a people person."

The winner of the Waiariki seat is not yet clear.

Preliminary results put Māori Party candidate Rawiri Waititi 415 votes ahead of Labour's Tāmati Coffey, who won the seat for the first time in 2017.