Act's Mt Albert candidate John Boscawen has accused his rivals of "coercion" by offering residents free transport to cast advance votes.
Advance voting in the Mt Albert byelection opened yesterday, but Labour supporters began phoning residents last week to offer transport to those who wanted to cast advance votes.
"I
think it's quite wrong for them to transport people who can get there on their own steam. The reality is, people can feel under duress," said Mr Boscawen. "Mt Albert is an electorate with a large number of Asians and immigrants, and I think not everyone is conversant in English, and if a political party is picking up these people, it is too easy for them to be coerced and be misled."
Mt Albert resident Jim Li, from China, said he had received a call on Sunday from a Labour official asking him to "book" a time to be taken to the voting centre this week.
"I said I wanted to wait until June 13, but he told me that it is safer to vote now, because I will be breaking the law if I missed voting on polling day. I agreed, because I didn't want to become a criminal," said Mr Li in Mandarin.
A campaign spokesman for Labour candidate David Shearer said that Labour had "always helped people to cast their votes" and worked "within the rules and within the law".
Green co-leader and candidate Russel Norman said offering transport to voters was "a good idea".
National candidate Melissa Lee's campaign spokesperson said she did not wish to comment.
Advance voting will be available until Friday, June 12 at five centres: the Coverstaff Office, 509 Rosebank Rd; Mt Albert Electorate Headquarters, Unit 1, 49 Sainsbury Rd; Mt Albert Community Library, 84 St Lukes Rd; Pt Chevalier Community Library, cnr Great North Rd & Pt Chevalier Rds and Sandringham Bowling Club, Kiwitea St.
