But that doesn't stop some of them applying their names and faces and philosophies to their cars and vans as well as to posters, pamphlets and miniature billboards.
And the use of a motor vehicle often comes down to placement.
No good parking them up the old driveway.
Two of the combatants for the Napier mayoralty have pitched not only their own voices at each other in debating battle, they have also got the four-wheelers involved.
Spotted in Kennedy Rd last Tuesday on one side of the stretch was Bill Dalton's fine old vintage Ford which bore his image and his simple message of "Vote For Bill" - with the sub-heading "spirited, passionate and determined".
Parked directly across from it was a large Isuzu van bearing the name of Roy Sye who was appealing for voters to consider "positive + change".
There they were - facing off across the road - a planned parking square-off.
Mr Sye is part of a quartet of candidates which include Jude Minor, Mark Hamilton and Ailne Bradley who all possess the team philosophy of "positive + change".
I get the positive but is that small change or loose change they're talking about?
Change is also on the mind of Lynlee Aitchison who is going for a spot on the district health board.
She is "bringing change to mind 1 person at a time".
One at a time ... will take a lot of time.
Having a slogan is part of the whole approach for most candidates.
Hastings District Council contender Ann Redstone is running a fairly standard "working for you" line.
Which is fine ... I wonder if she'd be prepared to come and do my lawns.
Ditto for Ewan McGregor who simply states "gets things done".
Equally fine ... so if Ann does the lawns will Ewan fix the door on the woodshed?
Another Hastings contender, Cynthia Bowers, simply declares "making it happen".
Making what happen?
Maybe she could hold the new hinge while Ewan puts the screws in.
"Forward for Napier" is the straight-down-the-line slogan of David Hannay - although his billboard in busy Kennedy Rd was set up amid a boundary line of bushes which sort of slightly obscured his name.
He needed a cutting edge to his campaign.
Of course no election would be without a "voice" for the people.
Running for the Hawke's Bay Regional Council Peter Bevan has declared "a sensible voice".
Well haven't we all?
Except maybe for Harpo Marx.
Also running for the regional crew is Murray Douglas and he states he is in possession of a "strong, experienced voice" which of course is a very valuable asset ... because if his quest is unfulfilled he can always sign up for any planned AC/DC reunion tour as I understand vocalist Brian Johnson has thrown the towel in.
Tom Belford is also looking at the regional council door and his electioneering slogan is "speaking up for you" - which is very good news for anyone who struggles with a hearing impediment.
If he and Murray both make the council table you'll hear the ensuing debates from about 25km away.
In Napier they have a strong ally in the vocal stakes, with council candidate Michelle Pyke declaring "the voice for all Napier".
She'll need the old Throaties by the end of the day.
For incumbent Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule there was just one sloganeering word on the signs I spotted among several alongside an otherwise pristine and pretty orchard stretch just outside the city.
"Proven" was all it said.
Mayoral competitor Simon Nixon went down the path outgoing Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott's husband David reckoned was the best way to go ... just a straight "Vote for" approach.
He thankfully did not get too politically bewildered ... he could have stated "Simon (no relation to Richard) Nixon" which would have simply been confusing.
As was the slogan for Graeme Taylor standing for the Taradale ward.
"Tick Taylor for Taradale".
Some may recognise him in the street and call out "good luck in the elections Tick".
Words are so subjective.
Standing for the Hastings District Council, Sarah Millington's billboard states "fresh, smart, green".
Now "green" is not really a good word to use when you're going for a role which requires experience. I know what she means but, oh dear.
An "oh dear" also for Rick Barker as he left the apostrophe out of Hawke's Bay on his signs.
Image is important, so a smile is essential.
Everyone is smiling, although Kim (The Postie) Slater gets the big prize for a grin that consumes everything within a wide radius.
Rob Lutter's smile is the most subtle, while Hamish Jamieson looks as if he's just been told a ribald joke and is about to burst into laughter.
Of course there are nicknames out there - Keith "Sponge" Price (although he's never hit me up for a spare tenner and failed to pay it back).
And then there is placement.
Many candidates had gone for intersections, some on tricky sections of highway, to stick their signs up.
Places where you need both eyes on the road and other slabs of moving metal on them.
No distractions.
But I did smile at the placement of one contender for the district health board ... it was on the wall of a pub. Is that appropriate?
Most inspired placement goes to Ken Simons the "E" man ("experience, energy, enthusiasm").
He placed one of his large signs right opposite McLean Park's Latham St entranceways.
He got the Counties shield rugby crowds and the crowds for Northland, North Harbour and Wellington. Not bad.
