The polls have closed and the votes are being counted, with early signs that Labour is dominating the party vote and on target to be able to govern alone.

With 22.5% of the votes counted at 8.10pm, the preliminary count was showing Labour on 50.5%, National on 25.9%, the Greens on 8.2% and Act on 7.6%

In the Invercargill Electorate, where 18.5% of the votes had been counted, Labour Liz Craig was leading National's Penny Simmonds by 571 votes, while the party vote reflected the national trend with Labour commanding 51.9.% of the votes so-far counted and National just 25.7%

In the Southland electorate, with 16.4% of the votes counted, National's Joseph Mooney was leading Labour's Jon Micthell by 875 votes, while again Labour led the party vote on 41.4% and National was on 35.2%.