National leader Christopher Luxon has got in early and cast an advance vote - but not for himself.
Advance voting opened on Monday morning for election 2023, and the National Party leader and his wife Amanda cast their votes at Eastview Baptist Church and Community Centre in the Botany electorate, which Luxon represents.
But he didn't vote for himself.
"It was two ticks blue," he told media afterwards. "It was for a very good candidate called Paul Goldsmith and a very excellent party called the National Party, that will take New Zealand forward."
Luxon lives in the Epsom electorate. But as he is standing in Botany, his name isn't on the Epsom ballot paper. As he physically voted in the Botany electorate, he had to cast a special vote.
"As I came into politics, the reality was that my family is pretty settled," he said when asked why he lived in an electorate he doesn't represent.
He said he grew up in the area and loved it.
"I think it is a fantastic electorate, and am working hard to make sure we get all of their support as well."
National has in the past had a deal with ACT not to campaign for the candidate vote and instead give the nod to the ACT candidate. That has allowed ACT to win a seat and therefore gain representation in Parliament.
But Luxon in August said National would this year try to win the seat away from ACT, which is now polling high enough to get seats in Parliament without the Epsom assist.
In 2020, ACT leader David Seymour got 48 percent of the vote whereas Goldsmith, National's Epsom candidate, got just 16 percent.
Goldsmith earlier this year said he didn't think he was "automatically going to win" Epsom, while Seymour said he wasn't scared of the National challenge.
Luxon on Monday said: "Paul Goldsmith is outstanding. I back him all the way."
