The turnout for the Auckland Council election was profoundly disappointing. What has happened to the hopes once held for a unified, strongly led city?

New Auckland Mayor Phil Goff says he wants to stamp his own mark on the city.

Phil Goff's choice for a deputy mayor might be a dramatic break from how his predecessor ran the Super City.

Hamilton's next mayor may not be known for a few days yet.

The preliminary list of members who will serve on the Auckland region's three DHBs has been released.

He started as an outside chance, but Neil Holdom’s strong campaign won him the New Plymouth mayoralty by 500 votes. Made with funding from NZ on Air

Lawrence Yule talks to Local Focus about his 6th mayoral term and insists this will be the last. Made with funding from NZ on Air

A shaking Sheryl Mai, champagne glass in hand, says she is "overwhelmed, rapt and thrilled" with the election outcome. The incumbent

It's fair to assume there will be a fair few sore heads as more than 20 new mayors wake up this morning.

COMMENT: If you haven't voted in local body elections, don't beat yourself up. It shows you're smart enough to have worked out whole exercise is a joke.

Now the work really starts - it's time for our new leaders to enrol in How To Be A Mayor 101 and head back to school.

COMMENT: Wondering what to do with your new mayor now they've been elected? Paul Little makes some suggestions.

Congratulations to all the new mayors, councillors and members of local and community boards elected in cities and districts around the country yesterday.

The race for Hamilton's top job proved one of the tightest, with progress results suggesting the mayoralty had swung by a whisker to underdog Andrew King.

Can online voting turn around our dreadful local body election voter turnout?

Former Air NZ bosses could be installed in Auckland Council to rebuild public confidence in the failed institution, says new Auckland Mayor Phil Goff.

Greg Brownless talks to Local Focus for the first time about winning the mayoralty and plans for Tauranga. Made with funding from NZ on Air

• North Island: Local election results AUCKLAND COUNCIL - RUAPEHU DISTRICT COUNCIL • North Island: Local election results

Lawrence Yule is thrilled that he's kept the mayoral chains.

New Wellington mayor had two speeches to choose from - one in a blue folder and one in a red folder. 'Fortunately,' he says, 'I get to read the one in the red folder.'

Hamish McDouall is Whanganui’s new mayor winning almost 40 per cent of the vote and nearly the twice the number of his nearest rival. Made with funding for NZ on Air.

The success of Labour-aligned candidates in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch mayoral contests will give party members a boost, Labour leader Andrew Little says.

National will need to make history to capture Phil Goff's Mt Roskill seat in an upcoming byelection, the party's president Peter Goodfellow says.

The mayoral race in the Far North was lacklustre in comparison with some others around the country with only an 11th-hour nomination by Waipapa motoring writer Peter Gill stopping incumbent John Carter from being elected unopposed.

Celebrations are taking place up and down the country as local body elections results roll in.

Vic Crone has hinted at another stint at the Auckland mayoralty race after finishing second behind winner Phil Goff.

• North Island: Local election results AUCKLAND COUNCIL - RUAPEHU DISTRICT COUNCIL • North Island: Local election results

Auckland mayoral candidate Chloe Swarbrick has already been approached by political parties.

In a "rare interview" Mary Goff, wife of newly-elected Mayor Phil Goff, says her husband is probably the best person for the job.