Ōtaki electorate returns red opting for diversity and kindness with Terisa Ngobi

Rebecca Ellery, Aden O'Connor and Sophie Handford were Terisa Ngobi's campaign team that got her elected.

With 97.2 per cent of the votes counted by 11.30 on Saturday night it is safe to say Ōtaki has gone red.

Labour candidate Terisa Ngobi has declared victory, while National's man Tim Costley has conceded in a phone call to her. The margin between the two is current 1256 votes, with Terisa on 17,906 and Tim on 16,650.

Of the party vote Labour so far scored 19,800 votes, with National 10,650, the Greens 2239 and Act 2902.

"I am elated," said Ngobi, who set up her party central in the Oxford Hotel in Levin where family members and friends as well as her team and supporters were equally elated and in true party mode.

"I've had an amazing push from Jacinda through Covid-19," Ngobi said. "It shows people trust Labour and that you can win in politics on kindness and that is what Jacinda did.

"Kindness is what we need. I had a great team behind me and realise I wasn't the normal candidate and this is a massive achievement.

"I am so proud of the Ōtaki electorate. It shows they know we need more diversity and we need a bigger community voice.

"It has been a hard seven months campaigning but I had an amazing campaign team, the youngest possibly ever.

Her campaign team of Sophie Handford, Aden O'Connor and Rebecca Ellery still can't believe they made it across the line. "It is so amazing," said Handford. "I still can't believe it."

After 12 years with Nathan Guy representing the electorate for the National Party, Ōtaki has opted for a different direction.