Election day could be a hairy one for Green Party MP Kevin Hague.
November 26 coincides with the final days of Movember, when men around New Zealand grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer.
Mr Hague has committed to the cause for a third consecutive year and, launching his party's conservation policy in Wellington this morning, he offered an explanation for his upper lip stubble.
"I'm feeling a little self-conscious. One of our advisers came into the office this morning and said 'oh, did you remember to have a shave this morning?'," he said.
"I don't know if you can even see it, but I can feel it - I know it's there."
Having raised several thousand dollars in previous years, Mr Hague said he thought he might do better this year with the publicity from the campaign trail.
"I probably haven't got much yet - the money usually seems to come in at the end when people can see results."
Mr Hague said he had tried to get other MPs to take part in the charity, but no one else was keen to get involved this year.
He put the lack of participation mostly down to an unwillingness to look overgrown on the campaign trail, but suggested some of his colleagues might also be "folically challenged".