Radio announcer and former New Zealand Idol contestant Steve Broad is well out in front in the Invercargill City Council by-election.

Steve Broad

Polls closed at midday today, and progress results were delivered to Invercargill City Council just after midday. 

Mr Broad, who placed third in the second season of New Zealand Idol, is 900 votes ahead at the moment.

Broad has so far received 2293 votes, followed by Graham Lewis with 1393 votes, David Meades on 1367, Lisa Tou-McNaughton on 1295 and Asha Dutt on 1292.

Progress results include all votes cast up to Thursday afternoon, however, it does not include votes cast late on Thursday or on Friday and does not include special votes. There are 248 special votes and 1673 ordinary votes yet to be counted.

With 1921 votes still to be counted, final results are expected on Tuesday.

The elected councillor will replace former councillor Nigel Skelt, who resigned after a sexual harassment scandal in May.

The Councillor-elect will be sworn in by Mayor Nobby Clark at a ceremony on Tuesday, August 8 ahead of a Council Community Wellbeing committee meeting. The new Councillor will also undergo an induction programme to get them up to speed.