New Zealand chooses design for possible new flag - but colour scheme too close to call

Results from a ballot on a potential new flag for New Zealand has selected a design featuring the country's iconic silver fern alongside the four stars that make up the Southern Cross constellation.

But there is no clear winner on the favourite colour scheme between the two flags designed by Kyle Lockwood.

The design is the favourite out of more than 10,000 designs submitted by New Zealanders, including some rather bizarre entries.

Prime Minister John Key first suggested revamping the 112-year-old flag which features a Union Flag in the corner as it represented the country's colonial era and it looked too similar to Australia's.

The winning design, which was chosen out of five options, has similarities to the current flag by retaining the four red stars of the Southern Cross but ditches the British Union Jack in favour of the fern.

The fern has become a national symbol and is worn by many sports teams including the beloved All Blacks rugby team.

Preliminary results released on Friday showed Lockwood's black option winning 50.5 percent of the vote and the red option 49.5 percent in a runoff voting system.

Some late votes and overseas ballots won't be counted until Tuesday when the official result is announced.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday once all late votes and overseas ballots are counted. But that will not mark the end of the process.

Whichever flag wins Tuesday will then be pitted head-to-head against the current flag in a second vote to be held in March.