With election day close, Eastern Bay people have shown they cannot wait to have their say on who should govern the country for the next three years.

Early voting opened last week and hundreds of voters across the region have chosen to cast early votes rather than wait for polling day on Saturday.

By yesterday, just over a million votes had been cast across the country, with numbers tracking ahead of 2023.

A breakdown for the East Cape electorate was not available.

Early voters spoken to by the Beacon yesterday gave a range of reasons for not waiting until election day.

One woman said she had thought Tuesday was the last day to vote, while another voter saw no reason to wait.

“We had made up our minds and thought, ‘why wait?’”

After working in health for more than 50 years, another voter said she had no hesitation about which party to support.

“I’m an old nurse, so there’s no way I’m not going to vote for Labour.”

She said she started her nursing training at 18 and continued working until she was 76.

Having spent much of her life in the health sector, she said she had seen services struggle and believed Labour would do better for nurses and the health system.

She said her political views had remained consistent throughout her life.

Another older voter said: “I’m 93 and a Christian; God told me to vote.”

She said the voting centre at Whakatane library had been busy when she went, with about 15 people voting.

She and others enjoyed the convenience of the central location, which made it easy to fit voting into their working or shopping day.

Voting closes at 7pm on November 7.

Where and when to vote in East Cape electorate

■ Awakeri Primary School, 974 State Highway 30, Whakatāne – Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

■ Allandale Primary School, 167 King Street, Whakatāne – Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

■ Caledonian Hall, 60 King Street, Whakatāne – Thursday, Nov 5 – 1pm-5pm; Friday, Nov 6, 10am-2pm; Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Edgecumbe Primary School, 92 College Road, Edgecumbe –Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

■ Edgecumbe War Memorial Hall, 2 Kauri Street, Edgecumbe – Wednesday, Nov 4, 10am-7pm; Friday, Nov 6 – 10am-2pm; Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

■ Galatea Memorial Hall, 34 Mangamate Road or 4454 Galatea Road, RD1, Galatea – Saturday, 9am-7pm

■ Kawerau Concert Chambers, Ranfurly Court, next to Kawerau library – Wednesday, Nov 4, 10am-7pm and Thursday, Nov 5 – 10am-2pm; Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Kawerau Putauaki School Hall, 87 Fenton Mill Road, Kawerau – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Kutarere School, 461 State Highway 2, Kutarere – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Manawahe Hall, 1866 Manawahe Road, Manawahe – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Matatā Public School, 43 Pollen Sreet, Matatā – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Murupara Area School Hall, 84 Pine Drive, Murupara – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ New Beginnings Centre, 40 Pine Drive, Murupara – Wednesday, Nov 4 and Thursday, Nov 5, 10am-4pm

■ Nukuhou North School, 1647 State Highway 2, Waimana – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Ōhope Beach School, 170 Pohutukawa Avenue, Ōhope – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Ōhope Community Hall, 9 Bluett Road, Ōhope – Friday, Nov 6, 10am-2pm

■ Ōtakiri District Hall, 579 Ōtakiri Road, Ōtakiri – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Ōtamaraku Hall, 2244 Old Coach Road, Ōtamarakau – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Pongakawa Hall, 956 Old Coach Road, Pongakawa – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Tāneatua School, 44 Mckenzie Street, Tāneatua – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Tawera Bilingual School, 164 Ngahina Road, Rūātoki – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Te Kōputu Library & Exhibition Centre, 49 Kakahoroa Drive, Whakatāne – Wednesday, Nov 4 and Thursday, Nov 5, 10am-4pm; Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Orini ki Ngāti Awa, 33 Meadow Value, Whakatāne – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Te Kura o Te Teko School Hall, 24 Te Teko Road, Te Teko – Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

■ Te Wharekura o Huiarau, 98 Sister Annie Road, Ruatahuna – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

■ Te Wharekura o Rūāotiki, 16 Mission Road, Rūātoki – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuirangi, 124 McAlister Street, Whakatāne – Wednesday, Nov 4 to Friday, Nov 6, 10am-2pm

n Thornton School, 43 Eastbank Road, Thornton Saturday, Nov 7 – 9am-7pm

n Waimana School, 6 Raroa Road, Waimana – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Whakatāne War Memorial Hall, 7 Short Street, Whakatāne – Wednesday, Nov 4 to Thursday, Nov 5, 10am-2pm

n Whakatāne High School, 56 Goulstone Road, Whakatāne – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Whakatāne Intermediate School, 101 James Street, Whakatāne – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Ōpōtiki College Hall, 22 St John Street, Ōpotiki – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Ōpōtiki Country RSA, 103 St John Street, Ōpōtiki – Wednesday, Nov 4 to Friday, Nov 6, 10am-2pm

n Ōpotiki Senior Citizens Hall, 1 King Street, Ōpotiki – Thursday, Nov 5, 10am-3pm; Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Te Ao Hou Trust, King Street, Ōpōtiki – Wednesday, Nov 4 and Thursday, Nov 5, 3pm-5pm

n Woodlands School, 168 Dip Road, Ōpōtiki – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Te Kura Mana Māori o Maraenui, 11 Maraenui Pa Road, Houpoto – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Te Kura o Te Whānau-A-Apanui, 6870 State Highway 35, Te Kaha – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm

n Te Kura o Tōrere, 2276 State Highway 35, Torere – Saturday, Nov 7, 9am-7pm