Waikato District mayor Jacqui Church, Hamilton City mayor Paula Southgate, Waipa mayor Susan O'Regan and Matamata-Piako mayor Adrienne Wilcock. Photos / Supplied
The election results are a reason to celebrate as more Waikato wāhine have been elected - and appointed - into governance positions this term.
There are five female-led councils in Waikato now compared to three last term as Waikato District, Hamilton City, Matamata-Piako District and Waipā District all elected female mayors and Waikato Regional Council appointed Pamela Storey as its chair.
Waikato District and Waipā District also celebrate a significant milestone since both their mayors are the first females to be elected into the position.
The four female mayors are Jacqui Church for Waikato District, Susan O'Regan for Waipā District, Adrienne Wilcock for Matamata-Piako District and Paula Southgate for Hamilton City. Church, O'Regan and Southgate also appointed female deputy mayors.
This election actually marked two "firsts" for Waipā District: O'Regan is the district's first female mayor, and the previous mayor Jim Mylchreest who sought re-election, is now the district's first mayor to be voted out.
The three mayors before Mylchreest, Bruce Berquist, John Hewitt and Alan Livingston all decided not to seek re-election. Mylchreest spent three terms leading the council.
For O'Regan the win is also significant on a personal level, since her late mother, former National MP Katherine O'Regan, unsuccessfully ran for the Waipā mayoralty in 1995.
O'Regan says she was "enormously proud" about the achievement and the fact that she achieved what her mum couldn't, makes the mayoralty-win "extra special" for her.
"[Mum] would be so proud... She was a person I aspired to be like. She loved Waipā and would be so delighted that the district she served for so many years as an MP decided I was the right one to do the job [as mayor]."
She says her husband John Hayward noted the significance of O'Regan becoming the district's first female mayor for their family.
"It's never happened before... I think it's a great signal that anything is possible. My husband said he was particularly delighted about what message this will send to our daughter," O'Regan says.
She says she is a feminist "and proud of it".
"I am blessed to have grown up in an environment where... nothing [was] off the table... My mum wore badges saying girls can do anything. Women like Marilyn Waring, Margaret Evans... and Sue Wood went in and out of our house regularly.
"They were women who were great role models in areas that were dominated by men."
O'Regan appointed four-term councillor Liz Stolwyk as her deputy mayor. Stolwyk previously held the position under Jim Mylchreest.
O'Regan says Stolwyk was "hands down, the best person for the job".
"Liz is very well connected, well-known and deeply respected on both sides of the district because she's energetic and an exceptionally hard worker," O'Regan said.
"Liz has been an amazing deputy mayor for Jim... There's never been any doubt in my mind that [she] is the best choice."
She says she feels like things are going to change with so many females elected as mayors.
"We are going to work more collaboratively with our neighbours across geographic boundaries. We will be a lot more relationship-focused."
O'Regan says she already had talks with Wilcock and Church "to see if we can work together" on some topics like transport and growth, "but it's too early for specifics".
Of the 14 new councillors, eight are male and three are female. The three females are O'Regan, Stolwyk and Pirongia-Kakepuku Ward councillor Clare St Pierre who has been re-elected.
The Waipā councillors will officially be inducted today . The previous council was made up of nine men and five women.
O'Regan says that while she is happy with the newly elected members who bring lots of experience to the table, going forward she would like to see some changes.
"I would like our elected membership to look more like our streets. Going forward, it would be neat to have more women and younger people [elected to Waipā District Council]."
O'Regan, together with Church, Wilcock and other mayors from around the country attended a mayoral induction course in Wellington.
"I was pleased to see that about a third were women and a third were new. There was a lot of diversity there... About five years ago, at an LGNZ conference in Christchurch, the senior male demographic was exceptionally well represented.
"At mayor school [this year], I was delighted to see so many capable women, young people and people outside of the stereotypical representation in local government. This excites me," O'Regan said.
A bit further north in the Waikato, former Tuakau councillor Church says being elected as mayor of Waikato District made her feel like she is right where she should be.
"I feel like a duck in water."
As Waikato District's first female mayor, she says she is honoured to continue to pave the way for women in local governance.
"I am passionate about leading this council and, having represented the Tuakau-Pōkeno Ward for the last nine years, have robust experience in the governance space and always act with the best interests of our entire district at heart," Church said.
She appointed Western Districts General Ward councillor Carolyn Eyre as her deputy mayor.
Eyre says she finds Church's passion enthusiasm and commitment to the district and its residents inspirational.
"As a ward councillor for a large rural ward, I believe the appointment indicates mayor Jacqui's intent to honour her commitment to strengthening the connection with our rural communities," Eyre said.
Church says while she was "absolutely" a feminist and celebrates the number of females in local government this year, she believes in placing the best person for the job in the position.
"[Having a female-led council] wasn't something I thought about when I made the decision [about who to appoint deputy mayor]. Gender has to be valued in terms of diversity but I believe in the right person for the job. This [was] the best decision I can make for our team."
Church says she celebrates the diversity of her councillors.
"It's a good thing our council continues to be bold. Diversity - in everything - is important.
"Diversity [in general] is age, gender, non-gender - some people identify as non-binary, beliefs, faith and experience...
"We got five Māori councillors this term and a high degree of governance experience. Some of our councillors are quite young... This depth of experience adds huge value to us as a council," Church said.
Eyre and Church are two of nine women elected to the council. The new female additions are Crystal Beavis, Kandi Ngataki, Marlene Raumati, Tilly Turner and Paaniora Matatahi-Poutapu with previous councillors Janet Gibb and Lisa Thomson having been re-elected.
Five Waikato District councillors are men. The previous council was made up of six women and seven men.
Meanwhile, Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate has appointed long-standing councillor Angela O'Leary as her deputy mayor.
At the induction ceremony, Southgate said she was grateful to be one of three "woman mayors" for Hamilton and to be part of a growing number of women in politics around the country.
"I am reminded, in watching the news, that democracy and opportunities like this are not available to many of our sisters across the globe," Southgate said.
"It saddens me, but steels my resolve to be the best leader I can be and to be part of the change I want to see."
Hamilton's total mix of councillors includes nine women and six men, compared to the previous council with six women and seven men. The new female additions are Emma Pike, Louise Hutt, Anna Casey-Cox and Melaina Huaki with previous councillors Sarah Thomson, Kesh Naidoo-Rauf and Maxine van Oosten re-elected.
Hamilton's previous female mayors were Margaret Evans, who led the council from 1989 to 1998, and Julie Hardaker who held the position from 2010 to 2016.
Matamata-Piako mayor Adrienne Wilcock is only the district's second female mayor. She follows Jan Barnes who, like Wilcock, previously represented the Matamata Ward. Barnes had the mayoralty from 2013 to 2019 and was succeeded by Ash Tanner.
The new Matamata-Piako District Council is made up of four women and nine men. The new female councillors are Morrinsville councillor Sharon Dean and Te Aroha councillor Sarah-Jane Bourne with Matamata councillor Sue Whiting re-elected. The previous council was made up of five women and eight men.
Speaking to the Waikato Herald before the mayoral induction, Wilcock hadn't decided on a deputy mayor saying she would make the announcement at the official swearing-in ceremony on November 1.
South Waikato District mayor Gary Petley is also yet to make a decision.
Otorohanga District and Ruapehu District Council appointed female deputy mayors. For Otorohanga District, Kāwhia-Tihiroa Ward councillor Annette Williams will take on the role previously held by Roy Johnson.
Ruapehu's deputy mayor is now Viv Hoeta. The role has previously been held by Karen Ngatai.
Nicole Pendreigh will wear a top with the names of 115 women killed on runs.