Napier's new mayor for the next three years will be Kirsten Wise and Sandra Hazlehurst has returned as Hastings mayor.
With 95 per cent of the vote counted, Wise has stormed home in the Napier city race with 12,757 votes, compared to former National MP Chris Tremain, who camein second, with 4689.
Voting progress to date for the Hastings District Council election shows Sandra Hazlehurst has been re-elected mayor. This result is based upon the counting of approximately 95% of the returned votes.
Preliminary results show Hazlehurst has 11,971 compared to Damon Harvey with 9207.
The councillors in the general ward are Denise Eaglesome-Karekare, Hine Flood and Jeremy Harker.
Chaans Tumataroa-Clarke, Melissa Kaimoana and Danika Goldsack have won seats in the Maori Ward.
Voter turnout in Wairoa dropped over 10 per cent, down to 42.87 per cent from 54.5 per cent in 2016
NAPIER
Chris Tremain, pictured during the Napier Mayoral meeting at Napier Boys' High School.
Councillors elected in Napier are:
Ahuriri: Hayley Browne (nee Young), and Keith Price Onekawa-Tamatea: Annette Brosnan and Richard McGrath Nelson Park: Maxine Boag, Api Tapine, Sally Crown and Greg Mawson Taradale: Ronda Crystal, Tania Wright, Graeme Taylor and Nigel Simpson Napier's voter turnout ended at 47.26%, up from 43.85% in 2016, in line with the last contested mayoral race in 2013 which was 47.76%
HASTINGS
One-term councillor Damon Harvey squared off against the incumbent Sandra Hazlehurst.
Flaxmere Ward councillor, Jacoby Poulain has lost her seat.
Newcomer, and Labour-backed candidate, Peleti Oli received 1046 votes. In second place is long-time Flaxmere ward councillor, Henare O'Keefe.
Along with Damon Harvey, Havelock-North ward councillors; Eileen Lawson, Malcolm Dixon, Kevin Watkins, Bayden Barber, Geraldine Travers, Wendy Schollum, and Simon Nixon were re-elected. Rizwaana Latiff, Sayeed Ahmed, Rion Roben and Rebecca Burn did not make it.
Newcomer Alwyn Corban has been elected to the Heretaunga Ward, along with one-term councillor, Ann Redstone.
Tania Kerr retains her Mohaka ward seat, with 1063 votes.
The Hastings voter return was 40.99%, being 22,580 votes, excluding votes in transit to the processing centre and special votes.
CENTRAL HAWKES BAY
Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker has been re-elected with a large majority.
Central Hawke's Bay mayor Alex Walker has returned for a second term with a majority of over 4000 votes.
Alex Walker returned a 4276 vote margin at the progress stage of this year's elections. This result is based upon the counting of approximately 95% of the returned votes, which sees Walker having returned 4,583 votes in total.
Her rival, Darcie Meremere Tū Ahiahi Scowen, sits at 307 votes at progress stage.
In August, four councillors took uncontested positions to represent CHB's Ruataniwha Ward, leaving just the four Aramoana / Ruahine Ward seats and mayoralty up for grabs.
Councillors Tim Chote, Kelly Annand and Gerard Minehan, all current sitting councillors, retained their positions uncontested. They are joined by a new face Exham Wichman, born and bred in Otane and now living in Waipukurau.
Six candidates competed for the four available seats in the Aramoana / Ruahine Ward - Darcie Meremere Tū Ahiahi Scowen, Kate Taylor, Tim Aitken, Jerry Greer, Hirani Maaka and Brent Muggeridge.
The highest polling candidate was Kate Taylor with 1976 votes, followed by returning councillor, Tim Aitken with 1719 votes, Jerry Greer with 1,701 votes, and Brent Muggeridge with 1578.
TARARUA
Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis bowled her two opponents over and has been re-elected as mayor.
Tracey Collis has romped home to win a second term as Tararua Mayor beating her two challengers by a huge majority.
Collis gained 4831 of the votes while James Harold polled 290 and Mitch McHardy 255.
HAWKE'S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL
Regional councillor Rex Graham has been re-elected. But will he get the vote again for the chair's role.
Rick Barker and Rex Graham are returning regional councillors in Hastings, and Craig Foss has been elected - Tom Belford has missed out.
Will Foley has won the CHB constituency for HBRC (3316 votes)
Neil Kirton returns in Napier, with new face Hinewai Ormsby and Martin Williams. Paul Bailey has lost his seat.
Jerf van Beek has won Ngaruroro. In Wairoa, Fenton Wilson has lost the seat to Charles Lambert.
