New Zealand election too close to call with half the votes counted

Results with over half of votes counted at 9:44 p.m. local time showed the ruling center-right National Party and the opposition Labour Party neck-and-neck at 29%.

The voting took place under New Zealand's strict laws banning media reporting and political campaigning on the final day.

New Zealanders have, however, been able to cast their votes since October 26, with almost 1.7 million of the country's 3.8 million eligible voters already casting their ballots by Thursday.

Main contenders

Among the main candidates are Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, leader of the center-right National Party, and Chris Hipkins, leader of the center-left Labour.

A final opinion poll released on Friday put Labour at 30% of the vote, just ahead of the National Party, but the election is being seen as too close to call.

Neither of the two parties is likely to win a governing majority.

Election system and context

New Zealand has a mixed-member proportional system that requires voters to tick two options: a party and a local electoral candidate.

Electorate winners earn a seat in parliament, which typically has 120 seats, unless a so-called overhang leads to more lawmakers being returned to parliament.

The vote has taken place against a backdrop of high prices for basic goods and the highest unemployment in more than a decade.

Next steps

One minor party, the centrist Opportunity Party, has also been put by polls at more than 5%, the threshold needed to gain seats in parliament without an electoral candidate win.

Final results are expected to be released on November 27.