23 Nov 2010

Tight Cooks results may alter final election outcome

2:31 pm on 23 November 2010

The deputy leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party says his party could win two more seats once the final count is complete in the general election, but he concedes it's unlikely to overturn the opposition's majority.

The preliminary count last week gave the Cook Islands Party 15 seats, the ruling Democratic Party eight seats, while one seat is tied.

The winning margin is extremely slim in a number of electorates, but Democratic deputy leader and Finance Minister Wilkie Rasmussen admits the final count is unlikely to change the overall outcome

"If changes are to come, I think the Democratic Party will probably gain two more seats. But no, I think if there's any changes you may have a 14-10 or a 13-11 type of situation."

Wilkie Rasmussen currently has a two-vote majority in the Penryhn electorate but says he's confident this will increase once special votes are counted.

The final results will not be known until ballot boxes arrive from the northern group.