Meanwhile former deputy mayor Lyn Riesterer will fill John Forbes' old
boots, if progress voting results for Ōpōtiki are on the money.
She had 1152 votes, twice the number of votes of Ōpōtiki mayoralty runner-up Alex Dobie's 582.
Forbes did not seek re-election.
Louis Rāpihana appears to have won the Coast Ward.
Barry Howe, Steve Nelson and Shona Rosalie Browne appear to have won the Ōpōtiki Ward seats.
Debi Hocart and David Moore are the apparent winners of the Waioeka-Waiōtahe Ward seats.
Riesterer has already spent six years on the council.
"Let's make our district's existing motto - strong community, strong future - our central theme and work collectively at achieving this... I hold honesty and integrity to be my strongest assets, along with my ability to listen and respond," she said in her campaign.
Kawerau mayor Malcolm Campbell has been re-elected, in progress results.
He had 1740 votes, and runner-up Tracy Hill had 238.
Faylene Tunui, Berice Julian, Sela Kingi, Carolyn Ion, Warwick Godfery, Rex Savage, David Sparks and Aaron Rangihika were the top pollers for the eight roles on the council.
Whakatāne District Council results
Mayor
Judy Turner
Galatea-Murupara Ward
Alison Silcock
Rangitāiki Ward
Gavin Dennis
Wilson James
Gerard van Beek
Tāneatua-Waimana Ward
Hans Tiakiwai
Whakatāne-Ōhope Ward
Lesley Immink
Julie Jukes
Victor Luka
John Pullar
Nándor Tánczos
Murupara Community Board
Ormond Hynes
Memorie Jenner
April O'Brien
Rangitāiki Community Board
Graeme Bourk
Kris Byrne
Alison Clark
Evan Harvey
Pouroto Ngaropo
Leeann Waaka
Whakatāne-Ōhope Community Board
Linda Bonne
Tony Hall
Carolyn Hamill
Moira Hanna
Christopher Howard
Mark Inman
Cindy Lee
Jennifer Manning
Votes received after midday on Friday are yet to be counted, along with special votes.
Final results will be available on October 17.
Full preliminary results are available on the Whakatāne District Council website.
