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New Zealanders are voting today in a general election to determine if Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will strengthen her left-of-centre hold on government, or succumb to a challenge from conservatives led by Judith Collins.
Labour Party leader Ms Ardern, 40, and National Party leader Ms Collins, 61, are the faces of the election to form the country's 53rd Parliament, a pandemic-focused referendum on Ms Ardern's initial three-year term.
Doors to the polling booths opened at 9am today, though a record number of voters had already cast their ballots in advance.
Restrictions have been put on what news media can report about the race until polls close at 7pm, after which the Electoral Commission would begin releasing preliminary results.
The election was delayed by a month after new COVID-19 infections in Auckland, that led to a second lockdown in the country's largest city.
New Zealand, with a population of 5 million, currently has no community cases of COVID-19 and has been among only a few nations where people are not required to wear masks or follow social distancing.
Labour is seeking a second term on the back of Ms Ardern's success in containing COVID-19, while Ms Collins argues she is best placed tackle the post-pandemic financial challenges.
The Electoral Commission said almost 2 million ballots had already been cast as of Friday, accounting for more than half of the roughly 3.5 million New Zealanders on the electoral rolls.
Special votes, including ballots from New Zealanders overseas and those who vote outside their home constituencies, will only be released on November 6.
New Zealanders are also voting on referendums to legalise euthanasia and recreational marijuana.
The latter vote could make New Zealand only the third country in the world to allow the adult use and sale cannabis nationwide, after Uruguay and Canada.
Results of the referendums will be announced on October 30.
New Zealand switched to a mixed member proportional system in 1996, in which a party or coalition needs 61 of Parliament's 120 seats, usually about 48 per cent of the vote, to form a government.
This means minor parties often play an influential role in determining which major party governs.
Reuters