The by-election to elect the seventh member of the council was held on Saturday, with only 207 votes separating the leader and the third candidate as a result of counting to date.
First preference counting is continuing, after being paused since Monday morning.
To date, Sharon Dennis is polling highest with 1317 votes in total.
She got 1250 at the polls, and another 67 via postal votes so far.
Not far behind is Trevor Hibbert with 1270 combined - 1216 from local polling places and 54 by postal vote.
Myles Humphries brings up the rear with 1110 votes - 1066 from the polls and 44 in postal votes to date.
The distribution of preferences has not yet started.
The by-election was called after the council failed to get enough nominations to go to the polls for the scheduled local government elections in September.
All six candidates were automatically elected after the election had concluded.
The council currently consists of returned Mayor Julia Cornwell McKean, deputy mayor Renee Paine, John Stringer, Katie Ngatokoa, Matthew Hannan, Renee Brooker and Catherine Healy.
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