Advance voting opens in Wairarapa

TIME TO VOTE: Wairarapa Green Party candidate John Hart places an early vote in Masterton, with advance voting opening yesterday.

Advance voting is now open for those who are not going to be in the Wairarapa or Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorates on September 20.

Wairarapa's Green Party candidate John Hart was among the first dozen to place an advance vote at the Departmental Building in Masterton when the voting station opened at 10 am yesterday.

Mr Hart is not planning to be out of the electorate on voting day, but wanted to drive home the point that advance voting was available.

He said it was "exciting" to place his vote for the 2014 election.

"It starts to feel a bit more real," he said.

"It's really good that we give people the message to vote."

Mr Hart has promoted the Green Party for the party vote, rather than the candidate vote, and said he did indeed tick Green for the party box.

For the electorate vote, he said he voted "for the person who would best represent the electorate".

If you can't get to a voting place in person you can make a special vote.

For more information see www.elections.org.nz.