Updated - confirms Mosta victory for PN - The PN has managed to retain control of Mosta and Nadur local councils.
It won a majority of votes in Mosta after having won a majority of seats but not of votes in 2012. Former Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo was elected mayor.
In Nadur, the PN managed to hang on to the council by 30 votes after the transfer of votes given to AD and independent candidates . Edward Said will be mayor. He is the brother of PN general secretary Chris Said and the third Said brother to serve as mayor.
PN supporters cheered and banged on the perspex at Naxxar counting hall as the tension finally gave way. Labour Party monitors banged on the perspex too, in frustration.
Meanwhile, it is a dead heat at St Paul's Bay, where the PL and the PN appear to have each won 47.3 per cent of the votes. The outcome will be decided by the second and subsequent preferences of those who voted to AD and independent candidates.
Counting was suspended at 1.45pm as assistant electoral commissioners met to decide each of some 600 votes deemed to be 'dubious'.
Labour had held a majority of some 500 votes in St Paul's Bay but the PN had hoped to wrestle back the council after losing it for the first time in 2012.