If you just couldn’t wait until Election Day to cast your vote, you’re not alone. More than 1.2 million New Zealanders cast an advance vote this week according to the Electoral Commission’s final advance voting statistics.
As of 2pm today, 1,240,740 had voted – that’s a significant jump up from 717,579 in 2014 and just 334,558 in 2011.
Overall, 91.10 per cent of the eligible voting population – slightly down on the 92.6 per cent of 2014.
The polls have officially closed – we’ll be updating this article with Botany and Pakuranga election results as they come in.
10:20PM: Simeon Brown has been celebrating at The Apothecary in Howick with around 50 supporters. He says it’s a “fantastic result” and is “really pleased.”
“There’s always nerves going into an election and I’m very grateful and humbled by all the support that the people of Pakuranga have put into me and into the National Party and I’m committed to continuing to deliver.”
9.55PM – Jami-Lee Ross is celebrating with friends, family and volunteers at The Brook Bar in Highbrook. He’s sitting on 17,623 votes, well ahead of Labour’s Tofik Mamedov who’s sitting in second place on 6,233. Ross says he never takes anything for granted. “Botany has been very supportive of me for a number of years and I will keep working as hard as I can for the community.”
9:45PM – Pakuranga:
Votes Counted – 25400 – 76.4 per cent
Leading Candidate – Simeon Brown – 16,615
2nd Candidate – Barry Kirker 5,360
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.4 per cent
Second – Labour Party – 23.3 per cent
Botany:
Votes Counted – 24,172 – 66.1 per cent
Leading Candidate – Jami-Lee Ross – 15,615
2nd Candidate – Tofik Mamedov – 5,391
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.9 per cent
Labour Party – 26.3 per cent
9:15PM – Pakuranga:
Votes Counted – 17,580 – 50.9 per cent
Leading Candidate – Simeon Brown – 11,597
2nd Candidate – Barry Kirker 3,691
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 64.0 per cent
Second – Labour Party – 23.0 per cent
Botany:
Votes Counted – 19,049 – 50.0 per cent
Leading Candidate – Jami-Lee Ross – 12,193
2nd Candidate – Tofik Mamedov – 4,423
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.6 per cent
Labour Party – 27.1 per cent
9:01 PM – With almost half the Pakuranga and Botany votes counted, National is holding strong with more than 10,000 votes in each electorate. Jami-Lee Ross looks to have cemented another term as MP for Botany while Simeon Brown looks to be the next MP for Pakuranga with a similarly strong lead over Labour’s Barry Kirker – but it’s not over yet!
8:44PM – Pakuranga:
Votes Counted – 15,345 – 38.2 per cent
Leading Candidate – Simeon Brown – 10,142
2nd Candidate – Barry Kirker 3,242
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 64.1 per cent
Second – Labour Party – 22.9 per cent
Botany:
Votes Counted – 15,586 – 37.5 per cent
Leading Candidate – Jami-Lee Ross – 9,943
2nd Candidate – Tofik Mamedov – 3,654
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.8 per cent
Labour Party – 27.2 per cent
8:18PM
Botany:
Votes Counted – 15,500 – 35.7 per cent
Leading Candidate – Jami-Lee Ross – 9,903
2nd Candidate – Tofik Mamedov – 3,367
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.9 per cent
Labour Party – 27.2 per cent
Pakuranga:
Votes Counted – 15,345 – 38.2 per cent
Leading Candidate – Simeon Brown – 10,142
2nd Candidate – Barry Kirker 3,242
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 64.1 per cent
Second – Labour Party – 22.9 per cent
8PM – Pakuranga:
Votes Counted – 14,921 – 30.9 per cent
Leading Candidate – Simeon Brown – 9,840
2nd Candidate – Barry Kirker 3,167
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 64.0 per cent
Second – Labour Party – 23.1 per cent
Botany:
Votes Counted – 14,820 – 33.9 per cent
Leading Candidate – Jami-Lee Ross – 9,417
2nd Candidate – Tofik Mamedov – 3,484
Party Vote Lead – National Party – 63.7 per cent
Labour Party – 27.3 per cent
