Strong turnout for flag votes

The PMs preferred flag will go up against the current flag next referendum.

More than 22,000 Rotorua residents voted in part one of the New Zealand flag referendum, according to preliminary results released by the Electoral Commission.

It looks like the Prime Minister's favourite flag - the blue-and-black silver fern design - will go up against the current flag in the second referendum to be held in March next year.

The design received 552,827 first-preference votes, and 50.53 per cent of the total received.

The number of valid votes in the Rotorua electorate came in at 22,285 or 51.11 per cent of enrolled voters.

Full results are expected to be released tomorrow.

In Taupo, 25,476 or 54.16 per cent of enrolled voters had their say while the numbers from the Waiariki electorate were much lower - 9285, or 26.21 per cent of enrolled voters.

Nationally, 1,524,566 valid votes were received or 48.16 of enrolled voters.

Rotorua MP Todd McClay said he voted for the red silver fern design but would take some time to think hard before making his final choice.

"I sense a growing interest in the flag debate locally," he said.

He said he voted for the red silver fern design first with the black silver fern design second.

"The turnout was much better than for local body elections and I thought the national turnout was very good for a referendum.

"I will now take some time over the next few months and think about what the flag means to me. I'm likely to vote for change, but I want to talk to my family first."

Mr McClay said he expected to see a lot more people vote in the second referendum.

"It's hard to change an outcome after the fact if you don't vote," he said.

Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said she voted for the Red Peak design but would now vote for the status quo.

"I was always a Red Peak person. But I won't vote for change. The preferred design does nothing at all to excite me."