A Wellington City councillor will be campaigning in Christchurch because he's standing for Parliament.

Southern ward councillor David Lee will be the Green Party candidate for Ilam, the seat currently held by National's Gerry Brownlee.

Lee is not standing on the party list, meaning he will only become an MP in the unlikely event he defeats Brownlee, the politician he calls his mentor.

ROBERT KITCHIN/FAIRFAX NZ The Ilam seat is held by National’s Gerry Brownlee.

He does not plan on rigorous campaigning but might make a few extra weekend trips to the area about six weeks before the election to ramp up support for the Greens.

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It would not impact his civic duties because technology would keep him in contact with constituents, he said.

"The election campaign in Christchurch is a sideline activity."

Lee, who is the council's portfolio leader for Technology, Innovation, Enterprise (TIE) and climate change, said he would not miss any city council meetings in the run-up to the election.

"I made clear that I would only stand for two terms and in 2019 I will not be seeking re-election. Until then, the city council is still my fulltime job."

He said he could still do his councillor job from Christchurch via phone and email.

"I do very little face-to face interaction, so I can still do my job as long as I have technology."

Brownlee was a shoo-in to win the seat in September's general election, Lee said.

"This is my opportunity to give back to the Greens and push up the party vote up in an electorate that requires an alternative voice for voters and not just a soundpiece for National."

Despite being a Green Party member for four years, blue blood runs in his veins.

The former Young Nat and election campaigner for Murray McCully describes himself as a born-again green who was "very blue with a green halo".

"Gerry Brownlee is my mentor."

Lee wanted to get his name out there for the 2020 election, when he planned to go "hard out" to win the Ilam electorate.

Ilam was his old "stomping" ground, he said.

"I am born-and-bred Canterbury and grew up in the Ilam and Riccarton areas and went to school and university there and my parents still live there."

He was travelling to Christchurch about three times a month to be with his ageing parents and help with the family property business.

Although he was looking at buying a residential property in Ilam, he did not intend to move there.

If successful at winning the seat, he would still live in Wellington, he said.

"MPs are expected to live in Wellington."