Viv Beck has dropped out of the Auckland mayoralty race, but questions remain over what her withdrawal means for the election.
Ballots with Beck's name printed on them have been already been distributed as of today, meaning Aucklanders can still vote for her.
An Auckland Council spokesperson has confirmed Beck cannot technically withdraw at this stage, and any votes for her will be counted.
This means Beck could still be elected mayor. If she wins, she would either have to take office or resign, triggering a by-election.
Professor Andrew Geddis, a law professor from the University of Otago, says the situation of a candidate appearing on the ballot and deciding not to run is not covered by the Local Electoral Act.
"The ballot papers will still be distributed and votes for Viv Beck will continue to be counted," he said.
Geddis said Beck may still receive votes from people who didn't know she had withdrawn from the race. She could also receive votes from people who firmly back her policies and don't want to vote for anyone else, he said.
In the "very unlikely situation" Beck wins the mayoralty and resigns, a by-election would be "extraordinarily costly", costing millions of dollars to reopen nominations and redistribute ballots, Geddis said.
"It's probably why the Act doesn't allow candidates to simply change their minds."
Beck announced her withdrawal this morning, saying she wanted to avoid splitting the centre-right vote, clearing a path for former rival Wayne Brown.
Geddis said this highlights the flaws in a system that forces people to vote "tactically" rather than for candidates who they genuinely want to win.
He says it's time for Auckland to scrap its "archaic" first-past-the-post system and instead take up single transferable voting, which is being used in local elections around the country.
What does this mean for the front-runners?
Labour- and Greens-endorsed candidate Efeso Collins acknowledged it was "a tough decision to have been made", and he had "a real respect" for Beck.
Collins told 1News today it was entirely possible some Beck voters would choose to elect him instead of Brown, saying her approach to the campaign was similar to his own.
"I'd expect some of that support to come to me now."
"Early on in the campaign, both of us were receiving comments from other candidates that were really untoward and quite discourteous ... that didn't reflect the kind of leadership Auckland wants.
"Given that we have a similar style and we want to be constructive and collaborative, that's what I think Aucklanders are after."
In a statement today, Brown acknowledged the "friendly and constructive way" Beck had run her campaign.
He said "voters now have a very clear choice", reiterating his commitment to "control costs" and "ensure value for money for ratepayers".
Voting closes at 12pm on Saturday 8 October.
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