RNZ journalists are reporting from major centres around New Zealand as local body election results are released.

There will be some new faces and some familiar faces heading the country's councils for the next three years.

Follow our live election results blog here. Or find our reports for each region as they arrive, below.

The big results, so far:

In Auckland, Phil Goff has beaten his main challenger John Tamihere, to be voted mayor for a second term.

Lianne Dalziel has also retained the mayoralty in Christchurch and in Nelson Rachel Reese keeps the top job.

In Invercargill, Tim Shadbolt returns for his eighth term, defeating Steve Chernishov, Darren Ludlow and Rebecca Amundsen.

In upsets, Horowhenua has a new mayor and four new councillors as Bernie Wanden takes up the mayoral chains.

Lower Hutt Cambell Barry becomes one of the country's youngest ever mayors at 28 years old.

In Hamilton's unofficial results Paula Southgate has beaten incumbent mayor Andrew King.

And Sheryl Mai has been re-elected as the Mayor of Whangarei, winning her third term in office.

In Marlborough, John Leggett has returned as mayor for a second term.

From across the country: Northland

Third terms for Whangarei and Far North mayors

Auckland

Auckland mayor Phil Goff says he has won with 48 percent of the vote

Waikato

Paula Southgate wins Hamilton mayoralty after narrowly missing out at last election

Bay of Plenty

New mayors for Tauranga and Whakatane

Gisborne

Gisborne mayor Rehette Stolz to continue in role

Hawke's Bay

Kirsten Wise announced as Napier's new mayor

Wellington Region

Wellington: Upsets in Wellington City and Lower Hutt, and two incumbent mayors safe

Lower Hutt's new mayor Campbell Barry one of the youngest to serve

Nelson

Nelson mayor Rachel Reese keeps top job

Canterbury

Lianne Dalziel re-elected as Christchurch mayor

Otago

Dunedin goes Green as Aaron Hawkins elected as the city's next mayor

Queenstown mayor Jim Boult back for another term