Waipā looks set to welcome a new Mayor
Waipā looks set to welcome a new Mayor, with progress results indicating Mike Pettit will wear the chains for the next three years.
The progress result, based on about 85 percent of the returned votes, shows Pettit 947 votes ahead of incumbent Susan O’Regan in the mayoralty race. Preliminary results are likely to be released Sunday evening once all ordinary voting papers have been processed and counted. Final results are expected on Thursday once all special votes are processed.
Pettit has received 5238 votes to O’Regan’s 4291, with Clare St Pierre third on 2787.
St Pierre has retained her Council seat, heading the Pirongia and Kakepuku ward race on 1501 votes. Les Bennett (1240) has the second spot, 169 votes ahead of Naomi Pocock (1071).
There will be several more new faces around the Council table, but with only a handful of votes between candidates in some seats, the final lineup is too close to call.
In the Cambridge ward, Jo Davies-Colley has claimed the first of the four vacant seats with 2834 votes, with Roger Gordon second on 1991. Behind them, Pip Kempthorne is third on 1437, and Hope Spooner fourth on 1429. Aidhean Camson is in fifth spot and only 12 votes behind Spooner with 1417 votes.
In Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Ward, those set to take the three seats at the Council table are Shane Walsh (1621), Dean Taylor (1604) and Marcus Gower (1185). Lou Brown is in fourth spot with 1051.
In the Maungatautari Ward, Mike Montogomerie was elected unopposed.
Dale-Maree Morgan has currently held on to the Waipā Māori Ward with 366 votes, ahead of Yvonne Waho on 301.
Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board will be represented by Ange Holt (2192), Liam Bullen (2050), Jill Taylor (1710) and John Wood (1660). Kane Titchener was elected unopposed.
The Cambridge Community Board will have a mostly fresh line-up, with Charlotte Fitzpatrick (2184), Gerda Venter (2059), Chris Minneé (1684) and Stewart Dromgool (1593) topping the progress results in the Cambridge Subdivision, and Andrew Myers (772) re-elected from the Maungatautari Subdivision.
A flurry of last-minute voting saw hundreds of people across Waipā take the opportunity to cast their ballots, with drive-through ballot boxes operating at both the Cambridge and Te Awamutu Council offices.
Chief executive Steph O’Sullivan said today’s final day of voting had a great community feel.
“It was a great vibe,” O’Sullivan said. “People were really engaged and excited to be part of the process. The drive-through voting was a real hit and helped make it easy for people to have their say right up until the deadline.
“The team and I are looking forward to working with the new Council and supporting them to deliver for the Waipā District.”
Final results are expected on Thursday, once special votes have been processed.
