WELLINGTON, Sept. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Counting of vote started at 7:00 pm Saturday with a strong voter turnout on New Zealand electionday.

    Nearly 2.9 million people, 95 percent of the eligible people, are expected to vote at the 2,700 polling places, which were opened at 9:00 am and closed at 7:00 pm Saturday night.

    Labor leader the Prime Minister Helen Clark cast her vote at MtAlbert in Auckland. Clark said she is "feeling very optimistic."     

    The opposition National Party leader Don Brash has cast his vote at a school in Kohimarama with his wife Je Lan by his side.

    Polls on the eve of the vote showed the race is too close to call and Clark's ruling Labor Party is facing a fierce challenge from the opposition National Party.

    By 10:00 pm it was hoped to have 50 percent of the votes counted and by 11:30 pm more than 90 percent, said the election officials.

    They said all results will be through by 11.30 pm if all election process goes well.     Enditem