Close race for Otumoetai-Pyes Pa council seat

Bev Edlin and Catherine Stewart are close in votes for a seat on the city council representing Otumoetai-Pyes Pa ward. Photo/file

Larry Baldock has been elected as an Otumoetai-Pyes Pa ward councillor but the race for the second seat is too close to call.

Only 62 votes separate candidates Catherine Stewart and Bev Edlin.

Mrs Stewart sits on 4096 votes with Mrs Edlin close behind on 4034 votes according to local body election progress results released this afternoon.

Mrs Stewart said the Otumoetai-Pyes Pa ward had a strong collection of candidates which was why the race was so close.

"It's good to see there was such interest. We'll just have to wait and see what happens," she said.

Supplied by TCC

She said she was delighted Greg Brownless won the mayoralty and if things went her way after all the votes were counted she looked forward to working with the new council with Mr Brownless at the helm.

Mrs Edlin said she just had to look at the results and think "that's what the city wants".

She thought most of the people provisionally elected would work quite well together.

As for herself, "I've got plenty of opportunities open to me, I'm just looking forward to the future."

Ms Edlin was also standing for a seat on the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, results for which were yet to be released.

Jo West, Sheldon Nesdale and Graeme Moore followed Ms Edlin in the polling respectively.

The current council results were based on 98 per cent of votes counted, but did not include voting papers returned today that are still in transit or the bulk of special votes.

The outcome could change once all the electoral office counted all the remaining voting papers.

A further set of results would be released late afternoon tomorrow. Finals results, including special votes were expected to be all counted up on Thursday October 13.