The National Party is looking set to return to government for a third term after winning 48.06 per cent of votes in last night's election - equating to 61 seats in Parliament - an even bigger margin than in 2011.

With preliminary results of last night's election counting 2,112,522 votes, the National Party is celebrating winning 41 electorate seats and taking 20 list MPs to the beehive.

All smiles - Tauranga's National MP Simon Brudges is returning to Parliament for a third term with his party leader John key, with their party winning 61 seats in last night's vote count.

This includes National's Tauranga MP Simon Bridges returning for a third term with a majority 18,967 votes and Todd Muller getting a first term in the beehive winning the Bay of Plenty seat and replacing Tony Ryall.

The final count will not be known for a fortnight, but it looks near certain National could govern alone and if not would only need support from one other to reach the 62 seats needed.

Other winners on the night include New Zealand First claiming 8.85 per cent of vote counted, taking 11 List MPs to parliament including Tauranga candidate Clayton Mitchell, with him ranking sixth on the party list.

The Labour Party captured only 24.69 per cent of votes counted last night, with 27 electorate seats won and taking five List MPs with it – with Tauranga's Labour candidate Rachel Jones not claiming a seat, being listed 25th on her party's list.

The Green Party claimed 10.02 per cent of votes last night, which calculates to 13 of its list MPs heading to Wellington.

The Maori Party, Act and United Future only won one electorate seat each and didn't meet the five per cent party threshold to take their parties or any List MPs to Wellington.

Maori Party leader Te Ururoa Flavell won the Waiariki seat in Rotorua but will be alone in Wellington with his party only gathering 1.29 per cent of votes.

United Future leader Peter Dunne won his Ohairu electorate seat so holds onto his seat in the beehive, while Act's Epsom candidate David Seymour has been elected but will head to Parliament without his party leader Jamie Whyte.

Colin Craig and his Conservative again didn't make the five per cent party threshold – with 4.12 per cent – and Internet MANA is also not heading to the capital with only 1.26 per cent.

The major upset for Internet MANA was Hone Harawira losing his Te Tai Tokerau seat to Labour's Kelvin Davis by 1119 votes.

2014 General Election Preliminary Results: