UPDATE: 10.30pm

GREENS Mayor Katie Milne and Nationals stalwart Warren Polglase are certain to be returned for a further four-year term as counting continues in the Tweed Shire Council poll.

At 10.30pm and with 23,580 votes counted, Cr Milne had secured the popular vote with 14.2% of the vote, followed by Cr Polglase on 10.4%.

First-time contender, Murwillumbah businessman Pryce Allsop has put in a strong showing particularly in his home town, securing 9.3% of the vote so far, followed closely by Labor staffer Reece Byrnes with 8.7%.

Following hot on their heels is Liberal debutante James Owen with 8.4%, while Pottsville community candidate Chris Cherry is fairing well with 4.6%.

The race for the seventh and final spot is tight and likely to go down to preferences with Ron Cooper, who has fought a strong campaign on the back of his petition calling for "No High Rises” in Kingscliff, locked in a three-way tie with Deputy Mayor Gary Bagnall and former mayor Barry Longland, all on 2.9%.

However, the final tally will be heavily impacted by pre-polling votes, which account for 24.3% of the electorate, and which will only be counted from Tuesday.

In the referendum, early indications are that the "No' vote is in front, with 60.9% of those already counted voting against increasing the size of the council.