Preliminary results for Auckland Council released today show left-leaning council candidates Julie Fairey and Kerrin Leoni have flipped two seats that went to right-leaning candidates on Saturday.

Fairey won one of two seats in the Albert-Eden-Puketapapa ward, beating Communities and Residents (C&R) candidate Will McKenzie by 551 votes. Based on progress results on Saturday, McKenzie had a slim majority of 286 votes.

Labour's Kerrin Leoni also overturned the 150-vote margin of C&R's Tracy Mulholland to record a 278 win in the Whau ward.

The preliminary results were based on 64,000 votes being returned on Saturday morning. The progress results counted the votes up to Friday night.

The large number of votes on Saturday lifted participation by Auckland's 1.2 million eligible voters from 31 per cent to 35 per cent.

Special votes have still to be counted and will be declared on October 14.