Putting a face to the name
It’s a sunny Friday morning and Labour’s Hamilton East candidate Jamie Strange is ready to go door knocking around the University of Waikato.
This area of the city is diverse, populated by students, families, retirees and immigrants all with different views on the country and what is important.
‘‘People tend to vote for people they know,’’ Strange said.
And that’s why he makes sure to go out and meet as many people as he can.
On a map Strange has on his kitchen table, he has highlighted all the places around Hamilton East that he has visited.
Almost the entire map is marked. He’s been door knocking the electorate all year.
Walking around Old Farm Rd, and a few side streets, Strange meets a range of different people and listens to their different opinions.
Some don’t want to talk and close their doors. Others are keen to quiz the candidate.
One man talks about prisons while the lady two houses down who moved to New Zealand from Holland 50 years ago is more concerned about homeless people.
An elderly woman wants to know why the Orbiter bus cuts off Old Farm Rd from the route and a nursing student wants to know more about Labour’s mental health policies.
Something everyone agrees with is that Jacinda Ardern is a good change for Labour. ‘‘I like her,’’ is something heard often.
Strange’s face is not a new one to many people in the electorate.
‘‘Oh, you’re the Strange guy,’’ a father of three says after opening the door.
With only weeks until the election, Strange is going to keep knocking about in Hamilton, to meet more voters.