Labour Party incumbents in two Wellington electorates are vying for a seat this election, with one district not seating a National MP since 1981.
National's Nicola Willis, who ranks at number two on the party list, is challenging Labour's Greg O'Connor, trying to be the first seated National MP in the Ōhāriu electorate in nearly 40 years.
In neighbouring Hutt South, National's Chris Bishop, number three and Labour Cabinet Minister Ginny Andersen will also be going head to head.
O'Connor says he is choosing to stand only as an electorate MP "because that's where my strength lies. I started here... as a cop."
He says he gets "riled up" when he sees "those who quickly whip off the insult of bureaucrats. Well, good luck... there are a lot of people who want to keep this country going."
Willis says she wants to persuade voters that it is time for a change.
"We've knocked on and made phone calls to more than 10,000 people across Ōhāriu," she told 1News.
"The majority of the incumbent is 12,000 [votes], so we're wanting to have contacted at least that many people individually to give ourselves a chance."
Willis says she has met with some "incredible public servants, and they raise with me there is waste in my department", adding, "I can see the duplication."
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