After weeks of campaigning vote counting for the Labour Party leadership has finally kicked off, with a massive 92.5% of eligible voters turning up to the polls.

With 17, 531 eligible voters, that means that roughly 16,200 people turned up to vote.

Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and MP Robert Abela are in the running to become the Labour Party leader and in effect Malta’s next Prime Minister.

A Malta Today survey is showing a tight contest between the pair, with Abela currently edging Fearne to the post. However, the results fall within the margin of error.

Eager party members are currently pushed up against perspex glass meticulously following vote counters.

Should the gap be large enough, a predicted result could be out within the hour. However, with surveys currently showing a close race, it could be a while before the winner is revealed.