But some candidates did make it across the line, and an expert says this election will embolden those wanting to spread misinformation.
Two candidates with ties to controversial group Voices for Freedom were elected in the South.
Gill Booth and Jaspreet Boparai were elected to the Teviot Valley Community Board and the Southland District Council respectively.
Ms Booth has shared disinformation about the United Nations and often appears as a VFF guest speaker.
Neither could be reached for comment.
VFF has been a significant spreader of misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric.
The group, founded by Libby Johnson, Alia Bland and Claire Deeks, was also a leading player in organising the Wellington Parliament occupation earlier in the year.
Other candidates with ties to the group did not fare so well.
Dunedin husband and wife Watson and Tracey Pita were the Dunedin co-ordinators for the group until earlier this year, when they left the organisation.
Mr Pita stood unsuccessfully for the Otago Regional Council and Mrs Pita stoof unsuccessfully for the Dunedin City Council and Saddle Hill Community Board.
University of Otago researcher and The Disinformation Project research lead Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa said it was good the electorate had rejected most candidates with conspiracy or misinformation links.
But from what he had seen on social media since results were announced, people aligned with those movements were celebrating.
"In this first instance in the electoral history of this country where you have these networks of conspiracies and misinformation and anti-vax going into political movements, in my opinion this is a great show of their strength.
"I think it’s a mistake to undermine what has happened. They will build up on whatever they’ve done this time around."
He was also concerned about low voter turnout, which he said had been explicitly noted as an opportunity by Voices for Freedom.
"The lower voting turnout means that the VFF candidates, generally the candidates associated with conspiracies have a higher chance of getting into office."
The problem was not about candidates opposing the Government, as it was important to have opposition, he said. The issue was candidates spreading dangerous misinformation.
Other Southern candidates who have shared misinformation or conspiracy theories online include Emma Gould, who was arrested at the Parliament protest earlier in the year. She was elected to the Oraka Aparima Community Board.
Dunedin City councillor Lee Vandervis, who was re-elected to council at the weekend but failed in his mayoral bid, has also questioned official explanations of the 9/11 terror attacks and shared how to source anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin as an alternative Covid-19 treatment.
Dunedin City Council and mayoral candidate Pamela Taylor, who has also shared misinformation on a range of issues on social media, was unsuccessful in her election bids.
