In the Hunter electorate, there are eight candidates and each one of them belong to registered party with clear aims and platforms to run on.

Prior to the ballot list being released we looked at those representing The Nationals (Josh Angus), Greens (Janet Murray), Labor (Joel Fitzgibbon), United Australia Party (Paul Davies) and One Nation (Stuart Bond) but three new competitors have since thrown their hat into the ring.

The Christian Democrats' (CD) Richard Stretton, Animal Justice Party's (AJP) James Murphy and Socialist Equality Party's (SEP) Max Boddy are all applying pressure to the incumbent MP, Labor's Joel Fitzgibbon.

Mr Fitzgibbon has held the seat since 1996 and it is considered a very safe Labor electorate with a margin of 12.5 per cent.

While their chances of winning the seat are very slim, they are all hoping to garner some level of support and push their agendas ahead of May 18.

AJP has successfully had three candidates selected since its inception in 2009 - and is looking to win its first federal seat in 2019.

Their policies are obviously centred around animal welfare, although action on climate change is also a major focus of theirs.

Mr Murphy, who is a tennis coach by trade, took time to discuss which topics they are most intent on addressing within the electorate itself.

"We do want to see some change happening in the Hunter because obviously we do make a great deal of coal here and we want to see a move into renewable energy," he said.

"Of course there is also a great deal of animal farming in the Hunter that we want to focus on as well, especially we want to look at animal mutilation such as tail docking and mulesing as well."

They also desire to ban live exporting, even though it is likely to be at odds with the local farming sector, but the 26-year-old is adamant a change has to be made.

"How many reports, whistle blowers and media exposés of horrific animal cruelty do we need to finally put an end to live export," he questioned.

Mr Murphy is the youngest of the bunch, but believes he can use that to his advantage as he looks to build notoriety in the region in years to come.

"I'm very excited to be involved in politics and I don't think this will be my last election, definitely not," he said.

"I'm looking at the future and hoping to build support."

Someone who already has a reputation in the area is Mr Stretton who has run for parliament before, including at the March state election.

The campaign veteran is aware of his slim chances, but is urging Christian voters to get behind him to avoid their views fading away.

"My intention is to give the Christian voice an option out there at this election, I don't pretend to be the forerunner and I'm not coming home the favourite, it'd be a work of God if I get in," he said.

"The Christian voice is being quietened in the corner and the Christians simply don't seem to be willing to stand up and make that voice heard, so our vote is going backwards but I stand where I stand anyway."

If he were to be elected, one of his main intentions would be to fast-track the Hunter Expressway and bypasses for Singleton and Muswellbrook, which he said has been dragging on far too long.

He's imploring voters to put him as their number one preference, saying that putting CD at two just isn't enough for them to ever make a significant difference.

A new face, and indeed a new party in the region is that of Mr. Boddy and SEP, who have only existed in their current form since 2010.

They are campaigning on a platform of international unity of the working class, and end an to militarism and war and a fight for a socialist future.

The 30-year-old understands the fact they are seen as radical by some people, but said he doesn't take offence to it because he believes in the cause.

"Obviously we're coming forward with revolutionary polices, we make no bones about it," he said.

"Our fight in this election is to tell the working class the truth that the conditions that they face, the continued deterioration of their working conditions, is not the product of one political party getting in power, but is part of the capitalist system itself."

While their main priorities such as the defence of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning are not local issues, he did say that workplace settings in the Hunter are 'particularly dark' and would improve under their socialist democratic regime.

SEP would like to see the redistribution of wealth throughout the region, claiming that the living conditions of people in the electorate continues to decrease despite being one of the largest regional economies in the nation.

All three of the parties have wildly varying policies and platforms, and while none of them are likely to cause any scares for Labor or The Nationals, they will be hoping their standing improves as a result of the election.

Booths are open from 8:00am to 6:00pm:

Branxton Community Hall, 35 Bowen St

Broke Pulic School, 18-26 Cochrane St

Elderslie Community Hall, 758 Elderslie Rd

Glendon School of Arts, 897, Glendon Lane

Jerrys Plains School of Arts, Wambo St

Kirkton Public School, 797 Standen Dr

Milbrodale Public School, 2615 Putty Rd

Singleton Heights Public School, 1-13 Dorsman Dr

Singleton High School, 75-81 York St

Singleton Public School, 8 Hunter St