New Zealanders have begun voting in an election that polls are tipping could herald a change of government in the nation.



In bright sunshine Prime Minister Helen Clark, seeking a historic fourth term, voted in her Mt Albert electorate.



Wearing a bright red jacket Clark posed with onlookers who wanted a photo with the woman some call "Aunty Helen''.



"We have countless thousands of people mobilising Labour supporters out to the polling booths today. I am feeling very good about it,'' Clark told reporters.



Nearly three million Kiwis have registered to vote and authorities are expecting a record turn-out at polling booths.



Opinion polls show the opposition National Party leads Labour by as much as 18 per cent, although when political alliances are taken into account the result would be much closer.



Brenna Waghorn, 41, who lives in Clark's electorate, said while things haven't been perfect under Labour, she would be voting for Clark's government to be returned.



"We don't know what National is going to bring. They are not coming clean with most of their policies,'' she said outside the polling station.



She said the opinion polls were a bit disappointing for Labour, but she hadn't given up hope.



"We thought they might lose last time,'' she said.



Anna Parlane, 27, also lives in Clark's electorate and said she would vote for the prime minister, but she would cast her party vote to the Green Party.



Some polls are predicting the Greens could capture as much as 11 per cent of the vote nationally.



"I think it is unlikely that Labour will get into government again. I think people get a bit sick of having the same government so many terms in a row,'' Parlane said.



Across town in the wealthy suburb of Parnell where opposition leader John Key lives, many had a different take.



At a polling station at a local school, Roger Flatz, 47, said he would be voting National because he disagreed with the "wishy-washy'' education system Labour brought in.



"I want it back to the basics - reading, writing and arithmetic,'' Flatz said.



Lidia Nowak, 50, was working at fundraising hotdog stand at the school.



She said she would vote for National and the ACT Party.



She said she hoped if National were elected they would help reverse the exodus of skilled workers heading to Australia.

"As an employer, when we are looking for staff it becomes much more difficult because they have all gone to Australia,'' Nowak said.

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Eighty-two-year-old Kaye Ibbertson has lived in Parnell most of his life.

He said he would be supporting National, but he thought the New Zealand election paled into insignificance beside the US race.



"It is low key. They (politicians) seem to get up and make their statements which are well-worn and we have heard them all before,'' he said.



AAP