"Bill English made an observation to me once, he said 'when you go into parliament you are seated according to your surname,' so I will be seated down the back and he said to me, 'Lawrence it will be very motivational for you,' and I think he's right"
But it's not the first time Mr Yule has felt this way.
He first stood for mayor in 2001.
"I remember when I first decided to stand - one of the few sleepless nights in my life - thinking, what have I done, and I remember walking down the street with Jeremy Dwyer, the former mayor, and he knew everybody and I didn't know anybody and thought oh man this is going to be terrible."
Fifteen and a half years later, he's only just stepping down - or stepping up - as Hastings' longest serving Mayor.
Mr Yule says, "some of the things I am most concerned about here I cannot change".
"The environment, income inequality issues and some of the deep seated social issues including methamphetamine, but we have some quite big people issues but I can't actually do much as the mayor."
Mr Yule hopes in 10 years' time he can look back at the three terms he's offered the National Party and see a significant personal contribution.
"I'm very steeped in National Party politics, my father, my wife's parents, this has been our life."
But it hasn't always been plain sailing, his biggest mistake...?
"I've made a number, I completely misread the public's view on Ocean Beach."
He allowed the development of a section of the beach to go ahead, despite public not wanting that.
"I just didn't get that, I thought I was doing the right thing, but I clearly wasn't."
And there's the unprecedented Havelock North water crisis, which he maintains is one of the most challenging issues he has had to deal with.
So will it affect him at the ballot box? The consensus is divided.
Some residents say Mr Yule "slipped up" on several things and he could have "done a better job".
Others think he will make an excellent MP.
Former National Party MP for Tukituki Craig Foss stepped down in December last year, leaving the seat free for the first time since 2005. And, to many, Mr Yule's bid for MP wasn't a surprise.
Former Mayor of Napier Barbara Arnott, who was elected the same year as Mr Yule, says: "Lawrence is a political man now and he had aspirations to serve his country just like he has served it well as president of Local Government New Zealand, so it wasn't a surprise to me that that was the course he took."
And, if Mr Yule isn't successful in September he says he will be looking for a new career, likely in the field of climate change and the environment.
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