With polls indicating a very tight race, the seven Māori seats could play an influential role in deciding the next government.
Te Tai Tonga is the largest of those electorates - and by far the largest in New Zealand, covering the entire South Island, Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands and much of central Wellington.
The general election will be held on November 7.
WHY IS THE ELECTORATE INTERESTING?
For much of its history the electorate and its predecessor Southern Māori has been held by Labour, and by members of the Tirikatene whānau, in particular.
This year, the race for the seat has been thrown open by incumbent MP Tākuta Ferris' acrimonious expulsion from Te Pāti Māori.
Independent Māori candidates have struggled under MMP and it remains to be seen if Ferris can buck the historical trend and see off the challenge of Labour, the Greens and his former party to hold onto the seat.
Adding to the stakes is the fact that none of the candidates have the option of falling back on the party list, meaning the electorate is their only pathway into Parliament.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2023 ELECTION?
At the last election Ferris, then with Te Pāti Māori, defeated Labour's Rino Tirikatene by 2824 votes.
That result reversed the outcome from three years earlier, where the same two candidates faced off, but Tirikatene prevailed by 6855 votes.
In 2023, Labour picked the most party votes with 37%, with Te Pāti Māori second on 23%.
Labour has held the electorate since 1999, with the exception of two terms - in 2008 when Te Pāti Māori's Rahui Katene held the seat and in 2023 under Ferris.
WHO IS STANDING?
Incumbent MP Tākuta Ferris (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Raukawa) told RNZ that in an uncertain political climate Te Tai Tonga needs an independent voice.
"An independent candidate means that the issues of the people get direct access directly delivered into the Parliament and the debates of the country.
"So if we've got critical issues in Te Tai Tonga, having a strong voice in Parliament gets those issues elevated to a national level.
"And it's just the case in our politics that when it comes to parties, the voice of the people in different regions just has to come second or third or last to what the party priorities are."
Ferris said if re-elected, he would naturally support a left-led government.
"We wouldn't support a continuation of the current coalition [National, NZ First and ACT parties]. Not at all. We've just got to make sure that whatever transpires on the 7th of November, that for Te Tai Tonga, Te Tai Tonga's voice is right there."
Lisa Marie Murch (Waitaha, Kāti Mamoe, Ngāi Tahu) is running for Te Pāti Māori, the teacher and kaupapa Māori educator was born and raised in Murihiku (Southland).
"We're the only party that is answerable to Māori. We're the only political party that has a manifesto aimed 100 percent at lifting Māori, and we're the only political party that will move to entrench Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
Murch said she does not believe Ferris's expulsion from Te Pāti Māori will negatively affect her campaign.
"Our party has moved on, Tākuta has moved on, and I wish him well for his campaign. But I do not believe that it will have any negative effect on Te Pāti Māori. We are stronger than ever. We've got seven amazing candidates running in all Māori electorates, and we are pushing that one tick vote, that candidate vote only vote."
Labour selected Mananui Ramsden (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Mamoe, Waitaha, Rangitāne, Raukawa, Tainui) a self-described "pā boy" from Te Pātaka a Rākaihautū (Banks Peninsula) and former chair of Te Rūnanga o Koukourarata.
"Te Tiriti o Waitangi is our foundation for democracy in Aotearoa. And my role within Labour, everyone's role within Labour is to be Treaty positive, to ensure that we partner with hapū, iwi, hapori Māori, we're united walking side by side and we're supporting our own people to deliver for the things that are really important to them because of course our people know our people."
Ramsden opted not to take a spot on the Labour Party list, something he said was not a strategy to counter a candidate only vote push, such as the one adopted later by Te Pāti Māori.
"Where I come from mandate is a big thing. If you go with the mandate of the people, then you're expected to work for the people. If not, get out of the way. And so, yeah, that's pretty much my style."
The Green Party candidate is Dr Lisa Te Morenga (Ngāti Whatua, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) a Māori health researcher and Professor of Māori Health and Nutrition.
"I decided to stand for the Green Party just earlier this year because the changes that this government have been making by reversing a lot of the things that we've fought so hard for to advance Māori issues and to honour Te Tiriti, like Te Aka Whai Ora, like our increasing use of and teaching of te reo in the schools, our move to tell our own stories in our history curriculum," she said.
Te Morenga said the issues facing Māori in Te Tai Tonga are firstly the cost of living, with petrol, food, electricity and housing prices increasing.
"So people are just feeling increasing pressure to make ends meet. And then the other big issue from our voters is just this real anger at the repeal of all of our Te Tiriti wins or all of the things that we've been fighting for as Māori that protect our rights and honour Te Tiriti. Seeing that just being pulled out from under our feet, I think, is really angering our voters."
Also running are Christine Fisher of New Zealand Loyal and Tania Lee Henare from the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party.
