Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and James Shaw on election night. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
The Green Party is looking to win a record three electorates, with incumbent Chlöe Swarbrick poised to retake her Auckland seat, while Wellington central candidate Tamatha Paul is well ahead of Labour and Julie Genter has been leading a very close race in the Rongotai electorate.
The party's vote is at nearly 11 percent as of midnight, which would make them the third largest party in Parliament. In 2020 they managed 7.9 of the party vote.
Swarbrick was expected to win her electorate despite some tight competition from National's Mahesh Muralidhar.
Greens' Auckland Central candidate Chloe Swarbrick at the Green Party event in Auckland on Election Night. Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
With 93 percent of the vote counted, Swarbrick was leading by 2000 votes.
At an exuberant Green event in Auckland, Swarbrick shouted "we did this!"
"This is what people power change looks like," she said, saying it showed an increased mandate for change in Auckland central.
"Politics doesn't belong to politicians. It belongs to those who show up," Swarbrick said.
In Wellington, Paul has a heavy lead of 3000 votes oer Labour's Ibrahim Omer with 92 percent of votes counted.
Rongotai remains too close to call as of midnight, however, but Genter has been edging ahead with 86 percent of the vote counted and a 900-vote lead.