Flaxmere residents are lining up out the door and appear to be arriving in large numbers to cast their votes in today's General Election.
Eager voters where seen stretched from the ballet box to the asphalt at Peterhead Primary School when Hawke's Bay Today arrived this morning.
Many more continued to arrive and a steady stream of people created a buzz of anticipation around the voting site while those who had already given their tick left with the pride of performing their civic duty.
Filiata Apineru and her husband Reverend Sivaimoso Apineru, from Flaxmere, said they have been urging their community to exercise their democratic right and turn out on election day.
"We encourage our people to come and vote because last time they didn't really bother," Mrs Apineru said. "I have been telling them it's for your own good."
Flaxmere resident Marrietta Takiwa said she was voting for her 4-year-old daughter, Tracy, and a better future for Flaxmere children.
Meanwhile at Port Ahuriri School, Napier resident Tarlei Turner said it was "absolutely vital" for New Zealanders to vote.
"It's so important to our country and if people want to be part of our country and have a say in it's future then we need to get out and vote."
There are more than 2500 voting sites around New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands.
At the Havelock North Function Centre, Peter Trousdell said the Village was the "perfect place" to live and was casting his vote to keep it that way.
"I think it's really important," he said.
Veteran voters and Havelock North couple Brenda and Graham Duff said they have never missed making a decision on election day.
"You've always got to vote," said Mrs Duff. "It's important."
The weather gods also appear to have been kind to Hawke's Bay voters with mainly clear sunny skies over Napier and Hastings.
MetService predicts the two electorates, Napier and Tukituki, may have a few showers and strong gusty northwesterlies with a high of 17C by the early afternoon.