Linkwater Country Inn owner Sandy Templeman said pre-election chat in the pub did not suggest a swing towards the Māori Party.

A voting booth that apparently bucked the region's National leanings had the local farming community scratching their heads.

One farmer said he couldn't believe the figures. Another said there must have been a mistake.

Turns out they were right.

The Electoral Commission confirmed on Friday that Linkwater, near the Marlborough Sounds, was true blue all along.

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JENNIFER EDER/STUFF Linkwater farmers such as Jason and Amber Templeman usually make sure the vote count in Linkwater is a National shoo-in.

The commission's preliminary results for the rural township showed of the 215 votes, a whopping 123 were for the Māori Party, compared to just 32 for National and 30 for Labour.

But on Friday the commission confirmed there had been a "data entry error" and those 123 votes actually belonged to National.

Before the commission's revelation, Linkwater residents were gobsmacked by the preliminary figures, saying it was common knowledge the township was full of National supporters.

MIKE WATSON/STUFF Households in Linkwater, between Picton and Havelock, usually vote for National. (File photo)

A week after the election, down at the Linkwater Country Inn on a drizzly afternoon, John Whitworth's mouth fell open when he heard the figures.

"I can't believe the stats," the retired mussel farmer said.

"This is a real National area. That's incredible."

JENNIFER EDER/STUFF Voters in Linkwater, from left, retirees Adrienne and John Whitworth, and pub owner Sandy Templeman, were surprised to hear their local provisional results.

His wife Adrienne doubted anyone could make a mistake that size, but did wonder.

Inn owner Sandy Templeman had lived in the rural township for 38 years, and hosted birthdays, weddings, and Saturday night drinks at the pub for about 20 years.

But the talk around the table before voting day last weekend did not suggest the Māori Party was in with a chance, she said.

"I would have thought three-quarters of this place would have voted National, considering they're mostly farmers. Though there is a percentage of Greenies here, with all the lifestyle blocks."

Templeman's son Jason and his wife Amber ran the family farm further down Queen Charlotte Dr.

They, too, were surprised to learn the Māori Party won the Linkwater voting booth by such a margin.

"We just had no idea people would vote that way," Amber Templeman said.

"I actually thought all the farmers would have voted National."

But the Templemans and the Whitworths were right.

An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said there had been a data entry error on election night.

The 123 votes recorded for the Māori Party should have been counted as National Party votes, she said.

"It's important to remember that the election night count provides the preliminary results only, and that all votes are counted again during the official count before final results are declared."

The official figures would be released on October 7, the spokeswoman said.

"Errors like this happen infrequently and processes are in place to pick them up during the official count."

Linkwater Service Station owner operator John Smith said he could not understand how the Electoral Commission could make such a big mistake.

"I thought these things were pretty regimented. You wouldn't think it could happen, these days."

Smith, who took kapa haka lessons at Linkwater School, was traditionally a Māori Party voter, but this year he voted for Labour instead, he said.

"I want a change. I'm worried about housing, health, education, te reo, and making our rivers swimmable and drinkable."

Perhaps the desire for change was what drove other Māori Party voters to vote elsewhere, he said, referring to the Māori Party's crushing defeat as it failed to gain a seat in Parliament.

"You only have to look at the number of Labour MPs who are Māori that got in, instead of Māori Party MPs."

He was still "gutted" the party was out, he said.

Smith was initially pleased to see the figures showing the Māori Party had a lot of support in Linkwater, but surprised as well, he said.

"[Such mistakes] shouldn't be happening in this day and age. This stuff is too important."