Gone: Ousted Horowhenua mayor Michael Feyen phones his successor

The colourful tenure of Michael Feyen has come to end, sealed with a phone call to new Mayor of Horowhenua Bernie Wanden.

As the preliminary results came in shortly after 1pm on Saturday, and it became clear that Feyen's bid for a second term had failed.

He contacted Wanden, who was celebrating at home with family and friends, to congratulate him.

"I couldn't find his cellphone number, so I gave him a call at home," he said, before settling into a few drinks at home with family and friends himself that night.

"It wasn't an unhappy evening," he said.

He spent the next morning taking down his election signs, while on Monday he would start cleaning put his office to make way for Wanden.

Feyen, a prolific poster on social media throughout the last three years as mayor with videos of himself driving through the district, again took the forum to thank his followers for their support.

"I just want to thank everyone that has been involved along the way. It's been a mission," he said.

"It's a very interesting result that has occurred. I just want to say thanks to the other candidates that stood, none of which got in, really quality candidates that spent a lot of time investigating things and looking into council, the same as me."

"So congratulations to Bernie, the new Mayor ... same old council."

"It's been a ride but I think Horowhenua has lost a magnificent opportunity to have actually had a transparent council, one that works together as a team in an open way that everybody understands.

"But such is politics."

Feyen remained coy about what his next career move with be. He failed in his bid for re-election to the MidCentral Health Board, too.

"I'll be getting on with something else ... my life's always been interesting. You might hear from me a little more down the week," he said.

Feyen said above all he was looking forward to spending more time with his partner and his family, who he said had been "wonderfully" supportive of him during his time as Mayor.

"My chin is up. I did my best. I'm not commiserating at all," he said.

"The people have spoken."