Strong turnout as New Zealand votes

Don Brash casts his ballot at St Thomas's school in Auckland. Ross Land / Getty Images

Voters appear to have turned out today in large numbers as a tight race boosted interest.

Late this afternoon a spokeswoman for the Chief Electoral Office said the turnout was looking heavier than in 2002 with more pressure on the city polling places and Auckland in particular.

Polling places reported a steady flow of voters throughout the day with mobile teams restocking polling places that ran low on supplies, she said.

Prime Minister Helen Clark cast her vote at Mt Albert in Auckland this morning and said she was feeling "very optimistic".

National leader Don Brash cast his vote at a school in the Auckland suburb of Kohimarama and said he expected to do "a lot of nail-biting" today.

Nearly three million people were eligible to vote today in a general election most pundits said was too close to call.

The election booths opened at 9am and closed at 7pm.

- NZPA

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