This national election cycle has been more challenging than most and candidates from smaller, grassroots style parties are struggling to make their voices heard.
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Covid-19 has thrown face-to-face campaigning out the window and many local debate events have been cancelled, which leads to tough times for candidates from smaller parties as they fight to make themselves visible without the resources and platform of a large party.
East Coast New Conservative and Act candidates Helena Nickerson and Blake Webb said they had faced issues campaigning under level 2.
Nickerson said people had been reluctant to receive pamphlets from volunteers for fear of Covid-19, and Webb said the elderly, in particular, were nervous about face-to-face contact outside their extended bubble.
Nickerson said smaller parties like hers could struggle to get the same attention from media as the larger ones and couldn't afford large campaigns, therefore they were more reliant on face-to-face campaigning as well as social media.
"Covid-19 has had a profound impact on our campaign; we do not have a platform through radio or television, so we are reliant on connecting with people face-to-face and delivering flyers," she said.
"You have to deliver flyers very cautiously because some people have high anxiety about Covid-19, and they don't want you to put things in their letterbox that they have to handle.
"Social media at the moment is our biggest way of getting the word out there."
Nickerson said social media had connected her team with volunteers who were happy to help by delivering pamphlets and putting up hoardings across the district.
Webb said his campaign had been affected by Covid-19 because he did a lot of his campaigning face-to-face and had been hoping to attend some public meetings, some of which had now been cancelled. Those that had not were now subject to strict capacity rules.
He does not have a large online presence like some other candidates through which to campaign.
"All I've been trying to do is raise awareness of Act's policies and where we stand to raise our party vote," Webb said.
"If it's affecting my ability to campaign in level 2, it's definitely affecting candidates in Auckland in level 3."
Webb visits local businesses and door knocks when he is not at work or with his young family and said he had found some people, especially elderly, were reluctant to speak face-to-face for fear of the virus.
"They don't want to talk to anyone face to face outside of their extended bubble," he said.
However, both candidates agree that the delayed election has given them a slight reprieve with more time to campaign and gather momentum.
The election date has been pushed back four weeks from its original September date to 17 October.
"For small parties that are struggling it does give us time to get the word out," Nickerson said.
Webb said the election date needed to be delayed to ensure a "free and fair" election.
"People in Auckland are on house arrest so there's no way we could justify starting the voting process in these current restrictions," he said.
Advance New Zealand candidate Jennie Brown has also welcomed the later election as it allows her to campaign for longer.
She said she was on the "back foot" compared to other candidates and the later date would place candidates on a more even footing.
Brown was originally a candidate for the Outdoors Party before switching to the New Zealand Public Party, which then merged with Advance NZ.
"The delayed election gives us more time to share our concerns with the public, and more time to put up our billboards," she said.
"I think anyone who opposes the current government is happy we have more time to campaign."
Brown said Covid-19 had not affected her campaign although she was making sure she followed all the level 2 rules.
"Under level 2 it hasn't made much of a difference for us, level 3 might be a different story," she said.
"It didn't stop us getting out on Sunday [at Heipipi Park in Gisborne] and speaking to the public about our concerns in regard to Covid-19."
Brown said if debate organisers were still happy to hold their events under level 2, she would attend.
Green candidate Meredith Akuhata-Brown has had the added challenge of vocal surgery, which rendered her voiceless for a week, however, she is most concerned about whether the election date change will discourage some voters.
She said she had worked hard in her last three terms as a Gisborne district councillor to get people more engaged with local democracy.
"So, my initial concern with the postponement was the impact it might have on those people who are less likely to vote anyway; whether it will act as another pushback to them," she said.
"But this is about a health issue and I think our prime minister has shown leadership to ensure the safety and wellness of our nation is at the forefront."
Akuhata-Brown said the impact of Covid-19 on the election could be managed by candidates who could promote the need to vote.
"We need to be pushing for people not to be afraid, to ensure people do have the support they need so they do vote," she said.
"I challenge anyone who is standing in this election to make sure their message is, how important it is for everyone to vote. Messaging needs to be prolonged, pronounced and less ego-centric this time round. Hold your candidates and parties you are voting for to account."
Akuhata-Brown said it was important any new government had the support of New Zealand as there were challenging times ahead.
As for her campaign, Akuhata-Brown feels secure in the knowledge that most people in the Gisborne side of the East Coast electorate know her and what she stands for because of the years she has spent on local council.
She has also been utilising social media to connect with a broad range of people in the electorate.
Akuhata-Brown said she has been invited to speak at several meetings across the electorate and expects that, if these went ahead, they would be to a much smaller crowd.
"You need to make an impact regardless, because those people will speak to their friends. If I can captivate that small group, never underestimate their power to make change," she said.
"I will be making the most of any opportunity to travel to the Bay of Plenty."
National candidate Tania Tapsell was contacted for this story but said all questions should be put to National leader Judith Collins.
Labour candidate Kiri Allan was also contacted but did not respond in time for publication.
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.
