MAIL CALL: Kieran McAnulty with the thousands of individually addressed letters to residents, each one signed by him. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK WTA190814ABSIGNING01
MAIL CALL: Kieran McAnulty with the thousands of individually addressed letters to residents, each one signed by him. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK WTA190814ABSIGNING01
Labour candidate Kieran McAnulty has signed himself up to an old-fashioned and hand-cramping electioneering bid - individual letters to residents.
Mr McAnulty is personally signing 16,000 letters of commitment to 23,000 voters, which he estimates will take him 25 hours to complete.
"After contacting 12,000 people through doorknocking and phonecanvassing, one thing has become clear - people here want an MP who is dedicated to Wairarapa and the people that live here," he said.
He signs the letters early in the morning and late at night, in between campaigning duties.
"That is why I chose not to stand on the Labour Party list - people needed to know that I was standing for the right reasons."
He wanted to back it up with action, to show Wairarapa he was taking his campaign seriously.
The letters, which are personally addressed, have been created from electoral roll records. He says if people receive his letter with incorrect details, it may pay for them to check their electoral roll details.
