Thirteen parties and 544 candidates are in the field for the November 26 election.
That's fewer than the 19 parties and 682 candidates in 2008, the Electoral Commission says.
Nominations closed at noon on Wednesday and the commission listed registered parties as:
ACT
Alliance
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis
Conservative
Democrats for Social Credit
Greens
Labour
Libertarianz
Mana
National
Maori Party
New Zealand First
United Future.
The electorate with the most candidates is Wellington Central where 12 are standing, and the one with the least is Waiariki with three.
There are 397 men and 147 women candidates.
In 2008 there were 488 men and 194 women.
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/11265959/election-has-13-parties-544-candidates/
