Lands Trust Masterton has appointed Garry Daniell as trustee to replace the long-serving Heaton Haglund, who died recently.
Mr Daniell was the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate in the last election, held in October 2013.
Trust chairwoman Leanne Southey said the appointment was made in accordance with the trust's own Act of Parliament, which stated that an appointment should be made if a vacancy occurred more than six months before the next scheduled election of trustees.
Mr Daniell's appointment is up until the next election in October 2016.
He had previously served as a trustee from 1988 until 2013.
Miss Southey paid tribute to Mr Haglund's service to the trust since he was first elected as a trustee in 1998.
"Heaton had great in-depth knowledge of Masterton and its residents, while his experience in the commercial life of the district was invaluable to the trust's operations. We will miss him."