Live coverage from the local government election 2018

First preference counts for all ballots will begin this afternoon.

The Tasmanian Electoral Commission is expecting early figures or mayor and deputy mayor positions to be available from 6.30pm.

A figure for councillors or aldermen should be available from about 7.30pm.

This usually represents about 20 per cent of the count.

The vote return rate in the Northern Midlands for 2018 was up by a massive 8.9 per cent since the 2014 local government elections.