'It's close': National's Mark Mitchell on the state of the election campaign

Over 40 percent of the vote has been counted, and the right bloc has a narrow lead.

Labour leads on 29.7 percent, while National is on 29.4.

ACT is on 10.6 percent, New Zealand First is on 9.4 - while the Greens have 14 percent, Te Pati Māori holds five electorate seats and Opportunity is sitting on 5.47 percent.

National's Mark Mitchell says he knew the election was going to be close, and these numbers reflect it. 

"It is close, and we've been saying all along throughout the whole campaign that it was going to be close and that is how it's playing out right now."

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