Preliminary results unseat two regional councillors
Sitting Greater Wellington Regional councillors Roger Blakeley and Glenda Hughes have lost their seats, according to preliminary results.
As it stands, Blakeley, a Pōneke/Wellington regional councillor and the transport committee’s chairperson, lost on preferences at the last count to colleague David Lee.
However, the result does not include special votes and ballots returned on Saturday.
Outgoing Wellington City Councillor Simon Woolf has been elected to the regional council for the first time on the second count, getting just over 9900 votes – the highest out of all candidates for the Poneke/ Wellington constituency.
Joining him is Green candidate Yadana Saw, while incumbents including chairperson Daran Ponter and Thomas Nash are also reelected.
Other than Blakeley and Hughes, other regional councillorswho are seeking reelection have been successful.
Ken Labanwas re-elected as Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai/Lower Hutt regional councillor and will be joined by newcomers, former Hutt City councillor David Bassett, and the Greens’ Quentin Duthie.
Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta/ Upper Hutt regional councillor Ros Connelly has been reelected, while Kāpiti Coast regional councillor Penny Gaylor has retained her seat for the next three years after fending off a challenge by Asher Wilson-Goldman.
Chris Kirk-Burnnand has been re-elected to represent the Porirua-Tawa constituency and will be joined by Hikitia Ropata.
Nash thought the new regional council was ‘‘as progressive as it was before’’.
‘‘I feel likewe’ll be able to do a lot of what we campaigned,’’ he said.
Saw said the new council would be a ‘‘nice balance of incumbents and fresh ideas’’.
‘‘I don’t think people will need to worry there’s going to be awhole new direction,’’ she said.
WELLINGTON CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
Mayor: Tory Whanau; Councillors: Ben McNulty, Tony Randle, John Apanowicz (Takapū/Northern Ward), Ray Chung, Diane Calvert, Rebecca Matthews, (Wharangi/OnslowWestern Ward), Tamatha Paul, Nicola Young, Iona Pannett (Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward), Tim Brown, Teri O’Neill, Sarah Free, (Motukairangi/Eastern Ward), Laurie Foon, Nureddin Abdurahman (Paekawakawa/ Southern Ward), Nīkau Wi Neera (Te Whanganui-a-Tara Māori Ward).
■ This page contains preliminary results of councils. Final results are due later this week.