UPDATE: SUNDAY 2.30PM

These are the latest figures being reported by the Electoral Commission QLD in the Cairns Regional Council election. 

This is Tropic Now's prediction of the city's next council:

Cairns Mayor
Bob Manning (67% of the vote)

Division 1
Brett Moller (67% of the vote)

Division 2
Pyne (59% of the vote) - however the gap to John Schilling has narrowed a little

Division 3
Cathy Zeiger (83% of the vote)

Division 4
Terry James (Comfortable with 53% of the vote)

Division 5
This is shaping up as a real stoush as Amy Eden leads Ricthie Bates by just 55 votes with over 44% of the ballots counted.

Division 6
Kristy Vallely (62% of the vote)

Division 7
Max O'Halloran (Comfortable with 36% of the vote)

Division 8
Rhonda Coghlan has edged in front of Ellen Weber by 23 votes with this division going down to the wire. Still a lot of votes to be counted with only 26% of the ballots counted.

Divison 9
Brett Olds romping it in with 86% of the vote.

We will continue to update you as new figures come to hand.

EARLIER: SATURDAY 28TH March

CAIRNS

We're calling it first on Tropic Now: Bob Manning has been re-elected Mayor of Cairns - even with a tiny amount of votes counted so far.

Cr Manning has secured 71% of the vote, a landslide in the making despite just 4.62% of the vote counted.

Here's Tropic Now's early prediction of the city's next council: 

Mayor
Manning (Unity)
1
Moller (Unity)
2
Pyne (Independent)
3
Zeiger (Independent)
4
James (Unity)
5
Eden/Bates - too close to call
6
Vallely (Unity)
7
O'Halloran (Unity)
8
Weber (Independent) 
9
Olds (Independent)

On early counting, Division 5 is proving very interesting indeed with sitting councillor Richie Bates and Unity's Amy Eden dead even on 42.68% each in a tight race after 2.5% of votes counted. 

Sitting councillor Max O'Halloran is looking good in Division 7, in what was a hotly contested race against Sam Byrd and Jules Steer, among others. O'Halloran is on 39.30% of the vote ahead of Steer on 17.12% and Byrd on 14.92% after 7.12% of the vote count. 

Division 1 is likely to be retained by sitting councillor Brett Moller, with a big lead after 7.73% of the vote counted.

Deputy Mayor Terry James is set to retain his position, with a strong lead in Division 4.

Independent candidate Ellen Weber (35%) is leading in Division 8 against Unity candidate Rhonda Coghlan (26%).

Brett Olds is romping it in to retain his spot in Division 9, securing 85% of the vote after 8.8% has been counted.

In Division 2, former councillor and state MP Rob Pyne is ahead of John Schilling.

Unity's Kristy Vallely is slightly ahead in Division 6 - vacated by popular former councillor Linda Cooper. 

DOUGLAS SHIRE

An upset could be on the cards in the Douglas Shire with incumbent Mayor Julia Leu trailling rival Michael Kerr 56%-44% after 8.07% of the vote count.

MAREEBA

On the Tablelands, it's neck and neck for the battle of Mareeba Mayor, with Angela Toppin and Edward (Nipper) Brown evenly split at 50/50 after 12.5% of the vote count.

MORE TO COME...