Local elections: Six new faces for Horizons Regional Council

Early polling results show that six new councillors could be sitting at the Horizons Regional Council table. Photo / Bevan Conley

Six new councillors will join Horizons Regional Council, according provisional election results.

They are Sam Ferguson, Emma Clarke, John Turkington, Fiona Gordon, Weston Kirton and Allan Benbow.

Horizons Regional Council comprises six constituencies, represented by 12 councillors.

They are made up of two from Whanganui, two from Manawatū-Rangitīkei, two from Horowhenua, four from Palmerston North, one from Tararua and one from Ruapehu.

The two councillors from the Whanganui constituency David Cotton and Nicola Patrick have already been elected unopposed.

Ferguson (4956) and Clarke (3400) are leading the way for Horowhenua, closely followed by Lindsay Burnell (3,337) and Geoff Kane (3,252).

Turkington (5234) leads Manawatū-Rangitikei over current chair Bruce Gordon (5213) with Gordon McKellar (4657) trailing.

As it stands, that means McKellar has fallen out of favour.

Rachel Keedwell (9,662), Jono Naylor (9176), Wiremu Kingi Te Awe Awe (8,435) and Fiona Gordon (7910) topped Palmerston North with Chris Teo-Sherrell closest on (7,308).

Kirton (1,465) had a healthy count above Richard Steele (916) in Ruapehu and Benbow (2,365) looks to be in ahead of Andrew Day (1,458) in Tararua.

Horizons electoral officer Craig Grant said that approximately 95 per cent of votes have now been counted.

"These initial results are just a snapshot, preliminary results may differ as more results come in over the weekend," Grant said.

"Results will continue to be posted on the elections page of our website throughout the week until the special votes have been accounted for."

A final declaration of results will be posted between 19 and 25 October.