Polling booths closed in New Zealand's general election Saturday, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expected to win a second term after campaigning on her government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Voters visited schools and community halls across the South Pacific nation to cast their ballots in an election pitting Ardern's centre-left Labour Party against an opposition led by the conservative National Party.
The polling stations closed at 7 pm (0600 GMT) and officials will tally about 3.5 million votes through Saturday night.
New Zealand has strict election day laws that do not allow exit polls, so the electorate will have no gauge of how the vote is going until early results are released.
However, well over half the electorate cast their ballots early -- a much higher proportion than previous elections -- meaning results are likely to come through swiftly.
The election was originally set for September 19 but was delayed by a virus outbreak in Auckland that has now been contained.
New Zealand has recorded only 25 Covid-19 deaths in a population of five million, with its response to the pandemic earning widespread praise, including from the World Health Organization.
Voters also cast ballots in two referendums, one on legalising recreational cannabis and the other on legalising euthanasia, although the results of those votes will not be known until October 30.
(Published 17 October 2020, 06:57 IST)
JOIN US