Special votes needed to break dead heat in Christchurch

Brendon Burns is tied with his National counterpart Nicky Wagner for the Christchurch Central seat. Photo / supplied

Special votes will separate Christchurch Central, after a dead heat in that electorate.

Both National's Nicky Wagner and Labour's Brendon Burns registered 10,493 votes.

The seat is traditionally a Labour stronghold, but there has been no difference when the 23,813 votes cast today were counted up.

The result will now be settled by the 3717 special votes which are still to be counted.

Green candidate David Moorhouse came a distant third with 3725 votes.

Special votes may also decide results in other close-run races.

In Auckland Central National's Nikki Kaye has a 535 majority over Labour's Jacinda Ardern, and National's Kate Wilkinson has a 395 vote lead over Labour's Clayton Cosgrove in Waimakariri.

In other closer races, National's Paula Bennett has a 719 vote lead over Labour's Carmel Sepuloni in Waitakere (with 98.1 per cent of the vote in), the Maori Party's Pita Sharples has a 742 vote lead over Labour's Shane Jones in Tamaki Makaurau, and Mana's Hone Harawira has a 799 lead over Labour's Kelvin Davis in Te Tai Tokerau.

- HERALD ONLINE