After the special votes were counted, the ‘no’ vote in the cannabis referendum has still prevailed, but it was tight.
A total of 50.7 per cent voted against the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, while 48.4 per cent were in favour.
Preliminary results showed that 53.5 per cent of voters were against legalising the sale and use of cannabis in New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the results regarding the End of Life Choice Act have barely changed, with 65.1 per cent in support of the legalising euthanasia after special votes, down from 65.2 per cent support on election day.
The final results of the referendums come after around 500,000 special votes were counted.
The euthanasia referendum is binding and is set to come into effect in October next year.
It comes as the Electoral Commission announces the official outcome of the general election.
Labour and the Māori Party have each picked up a new seat in parliament while the National Party has lost two MPs.
Labour’s Priyanca Radhakrishan has won Maungakiekie over National’s Denise Lee, and Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime won Northland over National’s Matt King.
Labour’s Emily Henderson won Whangarei over National’s Shane Reti, but Reti will stay on in parliament as he is high on National’s list.
The Māori Party’s Rawiri Waititi has won Waiariki over Labour’s Tamati Coffey, who will still be in parliament as a list MP. Māori Party co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer is set to join Waititi as an MP.
