NZ Herald Morning News Update | Local election results roll in; Wayne Brown, Andrew Little, Phil Mauger elected. One dead in house fire in Canterbury.
Video / NZ Herald
While some local politicians polish off the prosecco after landslide victories, some mayoral races remain uncomfortably tight, with margins as small as 17 votes.
About 85% of the ballot has been tallied, but as special votes continue to be counted, some mayoral fights appear to be going down tothe wire.
Just 17 votes are separating the two front-runners in the Whakatāne District Council mayoral race.
Incumbent Victor Luca has 2723 votes and councillor Nándor Tánczos has 2704.
Similarly, at Whangārei District Council, incumbent Vince Cocurullo has just a 67-vote lead over Ken Couper. The council’s website reported they are on 9841 and 9774, respectively.
In Buller, according to Electionz.com, just 135 votes separate Chris Russell on 1250, and Jamie Cleine, who has 1115 votes so far.
Over at Westland District Council, front-runner and businesswoman Jacquie Grant has amassed 1292 votes, less than 100 more than the second-highest candidate, incumbent Mayor Helen Lash.
Vince Cocurullo.
Gary Petley, on 1789 votes, is leading the pack to become South Waikato District Council Mayor, but he’s closely followed by Zed Latinovic on 1676.
In Masterton, just 202 votes separate mayoral candidates Bex Johnson on 2204 and Stella Lennox, who has 2002.
Finally, in Waimate, Craig Rowley is leading the fight for mayor with 912 votes, followed closely by Sharyn Cain on 836.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell, pictured at the Rotorua Business Awards after being re-elected yesterday to lead the city for another term in the top job. Photo / Alan Gibson
Many centres, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Rotorua had decisive votes, electing Wayne Brown, former Labour Party leader Andrew Little, Phil Mauger and Tania Tapsell respectively.
Gore Mayor Ben Bell was also re-elected for a second term despite a tumultuous past three years in which district councillors and the council chief executive called for him to step down and issued a vote of no confidence.
Gore District Mayor Ben Bell (left) with Stewart MacDonell (right). Photo / Sandy Eggleston
Bell made history as the district’s youngest-ever mayor in October 2022 when he was voted into power at the age of 23, beating six-term incumbent Tracy Hicks by just eight votes.
However, the country’s longest-serving mayor, Wayne Guppy, has missed out on a ninth term as Upper Hutt Mayor.
Guppy, 71, was first elected mayor in 2001, after serving one term as a councillor, and has been in office for 24 years.
Wayne Guppy. Photo / Mark Mitchell
In provisional votes with 85% counted, Guppy had been beaten by Peri Zee, who campaigned on better transport, a vibrant city centre and more health facilities.
Zee received 4199 votes to Guppy’s 3200.
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