Final Hastings byelection results are in

The final byelection results show new Hastings/Havelock North ward councillor Eileen Lawson won with 3439 votes. Photo/File

The final results for the Hastings/Havelock North byelection are in - with Eileen Lawson confirmed the winner.

The results for the byelection, which closed on Wednesday, were released yesterday and showed Lawson received 3439 votes well ahead of runner up Stuart Perry on 1811, Bruce Bisset on 1501, Chris Perley 1142, Rion Roben 902 and Alezix Heneti 505.

There were 17 informal votes and 22 blank voting papers received.

The voter return was 28.56 per cent at 9339 votes.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the voter turnout was normal for a byelection and she was pleased to have Lawson on board.

"I'm looking forward to working with Eileen. She has lead a good campaign."

Lawson has already been out talking to the business and wider community and has great feedback which she will be able to bring back to council, Hazlehurst said.

"That's what we want from our councillors."

The byelection was triggered by the election of former ward councillor and deputy mayor Sandra Hazlehurst as mayor in November last year, leaving a gap to fill in the Hastings/Havelock North ward, allocated eight representatives.

Voters have been busy with byelections over the last year with former mayor Lawrence Yule deciding to run for the position of National's Tukituki MP in the general election, and former Hastings/Havelock North ward councillor Adrienne Pierce standing for National's Palmerston North electorate.

Leaving two seats open, a byelection in November last year saw Wendy Schollum fill Pierce's seat, and Hazlehurst's election as mayor created another vacancy in the ward.

Voter turnout for the November mayoral and councillor byelection started slow with 28 per cent of eligible voters sending there returns up until the last few days before the election closed but it ended at a turnout of 38.7 per cent.

A council spokesperson previously said the combined cost of the mayoral and councillor by-election process in November was $130,869.

It was estimated the cost of this recent councillor byelection would be about $89,000.