Polls closed: The wait begins

Voting for the local body elections is now closed. Photo/File

Voting in the 2016 local elections is now closed.

At at 11.24am today - 36 minutes before voting ended - 42.14 per cent or 19,475 of Rotorua's eligible voters had voted.

In the last election in 2013 the total turnout was 43.79 per cent.

The last few days have seen a surge in voting, after a slow start.

Yesterday, 1027 votes were received. There were 2081 on Thursday, 3792 on Wednesday, 1031 on Tuesday and 895 on Monday.

As at 11.24am 104 people had voted this morning.

First results are expected this afternoon. The Rotorua Daily Post will have rolling updates throughout the afternoon and evening.