The race is on for Northland votes

Eighteen candidates are seeking the votes of Northlanders in next month's general election.

The candidates have surged out of the starting gate and the race is on to capture the hearts and minds - and votes - of Northlanders.

The deadline is now over and those standing for election in Northland's three electorates have been confirmed.

Eighteen candidates have put their hand up for election in the Whangarei, Northland and Te Tai Tokerau electorates in next month's general election, down from the 23 who stood in the 2014 election.

The deadline for those standing in the September 23 election to register was noon on Tuesday with the full list released yesterday afternoon.

Whangarei has the largest number of candidates at eight, with Robin Grieve standing for Act; Ash Holwell for the Green Party; Shane Jones for NZ First; Chris Leitch for Democrats for Social Credit; Marie Minhinnick as an independent; incumbent Shane Reti for National; Tony Savage for Labour and Jim Taylor for the Conservative Party. Last election 10 candidates stood in Whangarei.

In the Northland electorate six candidates are seeking election - Peter Hughes, Greens; Matt King, National; Craig Nelson, Act; incumbent Winston Peters, NZ First; Willow-Jean Prime, Labour; and Mel Taylor, Conservative. Last election nine stood in Northland.

The Te Tai Tokerau four candidates have been registered - incumbent Kelvin Davis, Labour; Hone Harawira, Mana; Maki Herbert, Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party; and Godfrey Rudolph, Greens. Four people stood in the electorate last election.

Nationally a total of 534 candidates (electorate and list) are standing in this year's election. This compares with 554 candidates in the 2014 election.

Last election Dr Reti won the Whangarei seat with 20,111 votes, ahead of nearest rival Labour's Kelly Ellis who got 6942 votes. In the all important party vote National got 18,503 votes, ahead of Labour's 6575.

Mike Sabin, National, won the Northland seat in 2014 with 18,269, ahead of Labour's candidate Ms Prime, who got 8969 votes. National got 17,412 party votes compared to Labour's 5913.

Mr Davis - now Labour's deputy leader - won Te Tai Tokerau in 2014 with 9712 votes from Mr Harawira, who was standing for Internet Mana and got 8969. Labour got 8034 party votes in the electorate with Internet Mana next with 4246 votes.

Voting opens on September 6 when overseas voting starts, with voting opening in New Zealand on September 11, when advance votes can be made, and voting packs will be sent out that day also.

The election will be held on September 23. Preliminary results will be released from 7pm that night with the official results declared on October 7.