The race for Newcastle lord mayor is too close to call on Saturday evening.
Independent Ross Kerridge took the lead in the race at about 10pm, but Labor incumbent Nuatali Nelmes is less than one per cent behind.
Counting has stopped on Saturday night and won't resume until Monday morning.
"Whatever the result, it's certainly shown that there's enormous frustration and dissatisfaction in the community," Dr Kerridge said.
"I thought that there would be a big swing and to about this level.
"The amount of energy that we've tapped into in the community to retake control of the political agenda in this city is incredible."
The Greens Charlotte McCabe is in third, and while the Greens have preferenced Labor in the wards they did not encourage any preferences in the lord mayoral race.
"We have a very, very close result," Ms Nelmes told party faithful at Lambton Park Hotel on Saturday night.
"There's booths to come in then we need to count all of the pre-poll."
Even if Ms Nelmes wins it is looking like she may not rule with a majority of Labor councillors on her side.
Labor's Declan Clausen, Paige Johnson, Elizabeth Adamczyk and Deahnna Richardson are all ahead. Labor also leads strongly in ward three, where Ms Nelmes is the lead candidate, and if she is elected as lord mayor, Peta Winney-Baartz will be pulled up into the top spot and re-elected.
The Greens are a looking likely to have councillors in wards one, two and three with Charlotte McCabe, Joel Pringle and Sinead Francis-Coan.
Liberals Jenny Barrie and Callum Pull are looking like they will be re-elected and independents Ross Kerridge and Mark Brooker are also in good stead.
Nelmes said a "progressive council" would remain in Newcastle.
"The Greens have done well as we expected," she said.
"With Labor getting this result means that we will keep a progressive council in Newcastle."
