Labour candidate for Hamilton West Doctor Gaurav Sharma (centre) has won the Hamilton West seat after incumbent National MP Tim Macindoe conceded. Photo / Supplied
Labour candidate for Hamilton West Doctor Gaurav Sharma (centre) has won the Hamilton West seat after incumbent National MP Tim Macindoe conceded. Photo / Supplied
A former National stronghold, Hamilton has swayed from National blue to Labour red with the Labour candidates winning both the Hamilton East and Hamilton West seats.
In Hamilton West, Dr Gaurav Sharma secured a dominant win over National's Tim Macindoe who has held the seat since 2008. The electorate waspreviously held by Martin Gallagher for Labour.
It is a stark contrast from the 2017 elections when Macindoe secured 7000 votes more than Sharma.
Macindoe, who is unlikely to be elected off the list, said he was unsure on what he would do after politics, but would take a small break before deciding.
"When one door closes another will open and I just thank those in the Hamilton West electorate that has supported me since 2008. I felt it was an incredible privilege to serve the city, I knew there was a chance that it could end this way, you never hope it ends but nothing last forever," Macindoe said.
"This is Gaurav Sharma's night, he will be a wonderful representative for Hamilton West, and if I can help him in any way, I will do that."
In Hamilton East, Jamie Strange who was elected on the list in 2017 defeated incumbent David Bennett who has held the seat since 2005.
Bennett joined Macindoe in conceding the Hamilton electorates to the Labour candidates, however Bennett will be re-elected off the National Party list.
Labour MP Jamie Strange is on track to win the Hamilton East seat. Photo / Jamie Strange
It was Strange's second battle against Bennett where in 2017 he lost by 5000 votes.
The Waikato electorate is one of the electorates that looks to have remained in National's hand with Tim van de Molen seeing off first time candidate Kerrin Leoni for the seat.
It has been a National stronghold since 1938 and one of the oldest electorates in the country.
National also looked to have held on to several electorates, including the Coromandel thanks to Scott Simpson. The Coromandel was another stronghold for National with the median age of the Coromandel one of the oldest in the country, and with that voters who tend to sway to National.
In Taupo, Louise Upston looks to be getting a fifth term in parliament with one of the more rare dominant wins for National over Labour's Ala Al-Bustanji.
While there was an early scare for National in the Taranaki-King Country electorate, Barbara Kuriger was able to pull away from Labour's Angela Roberts and is holding on for a win for National.
Special votes are yet to be counted with an official vote to be announced on November 6, while the result of the referendums will not be announced until October 30.
