NZ Election 2023

Wairarapa electorate

Wairarapa is currently held by Labour's Kieran McAnulty, who won comfortably with a margin of 6,545. In 2020, Labour won the greatest share of party votes in Wairarapa – 48% to National's 29%. Since its establishment in 1859, the seat has changed hands 25 times between members from more than seven parties.

Wairarapa candidates

Explore the candidates in your area

Kieran McAnulty

Labour Party

Jared Warren Gardner

Independent

Simon Casey

ACT Party

Celia Wade-Brown

Green Party

Te Whakapono Waikare

Te Pāti Māori

Mike Butterick

National Party

Pete Arnott

New Zealand Loyal

Simon Casey

ACT Party

Not currently in parliament

Why I'm standing

As a candidate, I have the opportunity to share with my electorate the values and policies of a party that I believe New Zealand needs. ACT is the only party standing up for freedom of the individual, smaller government, accountability, equality under the law and end of wasteful spending. ACT stands for real change. All other parties have no real vision for change but just tinker with policies.

About me

In 2002, I founded a technology business which I later sold in 2021 to a multinational company. During that time, I learnt about the importance of customer service in order to thrive. Like a business, a politician is there to serve its citizens but too many have it the other way around. As an elected representative, I want to be an enabler for the citizen of my electorate.

My priorities

  1. Reinstate the 100kph speed limit on SH2 between Featherston and Masterton.
  2. Restart the Wakamoekau Community Water Storage Scheme to better adapt to climate change.
  3. Investigate heavy traffic bypass for Gladstone and Carterton.

Get across the policies, candidates and parties

Don’t know who to vote for? Policy.nz is the complete guide to the 2023 general election. Compare the parties, candidates and policies to see where you stand.

Policies

Compare the parties’ positions on the key issues this election

Candidates

See the electorate candidates running in your local area

Parties

Learn about each political party, its leaders and candidate list

Things to know...

Your two votes shape New Zealand’s next parliament. You need to be enrolled to vote.

Read explainer

  • Enrol to vote by Sunday 25 October

    You need to be enrolled before you can vote. You can enrol online at vote.nz.

  • Voting day is Saturday 7 November

    Head to your nearest voting place on the day, or vote early from 26 October.

  • You get two votes

    One for a party (the party vote) and one for a person in your area (the electorate vote).

  • Your party vote is the most powerful

    It decides how many seats each party gets in Parliament. That’s what Policy helps you figure out.