The polls have closed, the votes are being counted and the future of the nation is in the balance.

With the poll booths closing at 7pm, the mammoth task of counting New Zealand's votes is underway, with the first results coming through in the next few hours.

The minor parties are set to play a pivotal role in forming the next government, with political polls from the past few weeks suggesting Winston Peters' NZ First is likely to end the night as kingmaker.

Follow all the latest news from Election Night 2023 with RNZ's live blog: