Results to be announced in the New Zealand 2005 General Election

September 17, 2005

There is a little under an hour to go until polls close in the 2005 New Zealand General Election.

Both National leader Don Brash and the Prime Minister Helen Clark (Labour) have already cast their votes.

Nearly three million people are eligible to vote.

Turnout has been strong, and turnout results are predicted to be higher than the 2002 turnout (77%).

Under New Zealand's MMP system, parties must win either an electorate seat or 5% of the party vote to win seats in the 120-seat parliament.