Penfold leads Baker by 1565 votes as waiting game continues in Maitland mayoral election

The result will go down to preferences, which will be counted on Monday, December 20, but Independent candidate Philip Penfold will be looking on Friday to extend his buffer of 1565 votes over Labor's Loretta Baker on the primary count.

Preferences are expected to favour Ms Baker, with four candidates directing votes to her ahead of Mr Penfold.

However, with the handing out of how to vote cards restricted at the election there is a greater degree of uncertainty over how they will flow or if voters will simply vote 1 for the candidate and exhaust their vote at the first count.

With only limited counting on Monday, Mr Penfold holds 34.65 per cent of the vote to Ms Baker's 31.61.

Both candidates have declared the poll to close to call at this stage.

Maitland City Council is made-up of four wards: Central Ward, North Ward, West Ward and East Ward.

In Central Ward, Ms Baker has been elected along with Sally Halliday (Liberal) and Bill Hackney (Independent).

While in North Ward, Labor's Robert Aitchison and Philip Penfold will be returned. Liberal Mitchell Griffin is ahead of Independent Michael Cooper in the the contest for the third spot.

West Ward looks locked in with the re-election of Liberal councillor Ben Mitchell who will be joined by new councillors Kristy-Lee Ferguson (Penfold Independent) and Stephanie Fisher (Labor).

East Ward will see the return of councillors Peter Garnham (Penfold Independent), Ben Whiting (Labor) and Kanchan Ranadive (Liberal).

The mayoral race results have been progressively revealed since the election on December 4. See a breakdown of the results below:

(As at 12.40 pm on Monday, December 13

Total Formal Votes Counted 51,433

Total Informal/Other Votes 1740

Progressive Total Votes 53,173

It is expected the final results will be announced on December 20.