Is this what New Zealand’s new flag will look like?

New Zealanders have chosen a design for a possible new flag that features the country’s iconic silver fern next to the stars that make up the Southern Cross constellation.

The referendum asked the question: "If the New Zealand flag changes, which flag would you prefer?"

Based on preliminary result, the most preferred alternative flag design chosen was option A: Silver Fern (Black, White and Blue).

New Zealanders were choosing between five options for an alternative flag. Two of the five options were designed by Kyle Lockwood with the colour in the top left corner black in one design and red in the other.

"There's a difference of about 20,000 first-preference votes between Kyle Lockwood's two designs, though the black-and-blue silver fern beat out the red, white and blue once second-preferences were factored in," said Prof John Burrows, chair of the 12-person Flag Consideration

"We've currently got a very close race between the two frontrunners," Burrows told Guardian Australia. "The red one was ahead on the first preferences, but the black one's overtaken it on the second preferences.

“When we reach the final result, they might switch back again, so it’s too close to call.”

The winner will be announced on Tuesday once all late votes and postal votes are counted.

But that will not mark the end of the process. Whichever flag wins on Tuesday will then be pitted head-to-head against the current flag in a second vote to be held in March.

Preliminary results released on Friday showed the black option winning 50.5 per cent of the vote and the red option 49.5 per cent in a run-off voting system.

Figures from the Electoral Commission indicated it had received 1.53 million votes in the postal ballot, representing 48 per cent of eligible voters in the country of 4.6 million people.

Many in New Zealand consider the current flag to be outdated and too similar to Australia’s flag.

It depicts Britain’s Union Jack in the top left corner, which harks back to a colonial past that many New Zealanders are eager to put behind them.

New Zealand sometimes comes under the shadow of Australia, its larger neighbour, and having flags that are almost identical only compounds that problem.

However, there are plenty of New Zealanders who want to keep their current flag. Many veterans fought under the flag and feel a special bond to it. Others simply do not see any need for a change, or view the process as an expensive stunt initiated by Prime Minister John Key to distract from more pressing issues.