Marty Robinson elected to Northland Regional Council with 68 vote majority

Marty Robinson has fended off former FNDC deputy mayor Tania McInnes to become a Northland Regional Council politician.

Northland Regional Council's Bay of Islands councillor Marty Robinson has made it onto his organisation's new lineup by just 68 votes.

Robinson - a market gardener, organic produce supplier, farmer and kiwifruit grower - stood for a second term on Northland Regional Council (NRC) against former Far North deputy mayor Tania McInnes.

Marty Robinson's final 2390 votes in the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa general constituency were 68 votes clear of McInnes and the smallest margin in the regional council elections, giving him a second term on the council.

McInnes said she will not be going for a recount.

Former FNDC deputy mayor Tania McInnes.

October 8's provisional election results saw McInnes ahead, only for that to switch to Robinson in the next day's preliminary results. His position was then confirmed in the final count.

"Northland is developing at pace and needs significant, sound decisions to support growth while protecting and enhancing the environment, for all," Robinson said in his electioneering.

Final results saw Robinson confirmed as one of five new NRC faces, a situation unchanged from preliminary results. This means an even split of newcomers and returnees on the incoming council, for which a pōwhiri was held on Tuesday.

Former NRC councillor Joe Carr has also been re-elected after a six-year absence via NRC's Far North General Constituency. He unseated local farmer and NRC deputy chair Justin Blaikie.

Northland Federated Farmers vice president John Blackwell is another new NRC councillor, unseating incumbent and first NRC woman chair Penny Smart in the council's Kaipara General Constituency.

Hikurangi Swamp farmer Geoff Crawford is NRC Mid North General Constituency's new councillor.

NRC's newcomers also include the two new region-wide Te Raki Māori Constituency's Peter-Lucas Jones and Tui Shortland. Shortland's 4922 votes gave her a winning margin of 1325 votes. Jones' 3597 votes were 1568 more than his closest rival.

Incumbents Jack Craw, Amy Macdonald and Rick Stolwerk were also all returned to the council. Stolwerk was the only councillor across Northland's four councils to be returned unopposed.

Craw's 4062 Whangārei Central General Constituency final vote count put him 2401 votes clear of his nearest rival. Macdonald's 4384 in Coastal Central General Constituency gave her 2032 votes more than her closest rival.

Carr's 2585 votes in the Far North General Constituency gave him a winning margin of 923 votes.

Blackwell's 3198 votes gave him a winning margin of 229 votes over Smart. Crawford's 3087 votes gave him a margin of 1907 in his constituency.

In the Te Raki Māori Constituency, Shortland's 4922 votes gave her a 1325 winning vote margin. Jones' 3597 vote margin was 1568 more than his closest rival.

■ Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air