The Dunedin City Council by-election race has tightened up - Jo Galer's lead over Aaron Hawkins has been cut to 250 votes.
The lead had been 746 on progress results yesterday, when about 85% of votes had been counted.
Preliminary results were released this evening, reflecting an updated count after yesterday morning's voting.
Final results are expected tomorrow.
There were 548 special votes yet to be processed.
Ms Galer said tonight the situation was nerve-wracking.
"I'm ready to live with whatever result there is," she said.
"If it's not to be, it's not to be.
"It's an uncertain situation."
Mr Hawkins said yesterday a win for him was mathematically possible, but highly unlikely.
The by-election was run under the single transferable vote system, which involves voters ranking candidates.
Preliminary results had Ms Galer on 10,087 votes, ahead of Mr Hawkins on 9837, while Conrad Stedman (7342 votes) was third.
More than 31,000 people voted.
The voter return was sitting at 32.84%.
Ms Galer earlier recounted how a phone call she received about lunchtime yesterday went rather differently to how she thought it might.
Sensing disappointing news was on the way, Ms Galer was instead advised she was leading the by-election race.
About 85% of returned ballots had been counted and she was more than 700 votes clear of former mayor Hawkins.
‘‘I was absolutely gobsmacked,’’ Ms Galer said.
‘‘I’m delighted ... really pleased. I definitely wasn’t expecting to be told I was the frontrunner.’’
A by-election was required to replace Cr Jules Radich, who died in January.
Fourteen candidates stood, including several former councillors.
Conrad Stedman was in third place, followed by Andrew Whiley and Lync Aronson.
Mr Hawkins said last night a different final outcome was mathematically possible, but highly unlikely.
‘‘I’d be happy to be proven wrong,’’ he said.
Ms Galer, 58, has a background in journalism and communications.
She tapped into issues people were concerned about, she said.
They included rates affordability, South Dunedin drainage and a trial closure of traffic in Queens Dr.
There had been an undercurrent of residents being dissatisfied with their council and wanting change, she said.
Ms Galer was endorsed by Crs Russell Lund and Lee Vandervis.
Asked about her relationship with Cr Lund, Ms Galer said they were very good friends.
They had met on the campaign trail before the council election last October and got on well, she said.
Mr Stedman said he had sought to keep his own expectations in check.
He felt the results so far showed ratepayers were angry and they wanted the council to get back to basics.
Mr Whiley said he was disappointed to be sitting in fourth.
He had expected a tight tussle between himself and Mr Hawkins for first place.
Mr Whiley, a former councillor, said he could not see another political campaign in his future.
The election was run under the single transferable vote (STV) system, which involves voters ranking their candidate preferences.
Progress results had Mr Hawkins receiving the most first-preference votes with 6161, followed by Ms Galer on 4779.
Under STV, the least-favoured candidate drops out one by one and their votes are reallocated.
Mr Hawkins led the progress results until the final round.
When three candidates remained in the race, Ms Galer trailed him by about 600 votes.
When third-placed Mr Stedman dropped out, Ms Galer received 1767 votes, leapfrogging Mr Hawkins, who gained 427.
Dunedin Mayor Sophie Barker congratulated Ms Galer on her likely win.
Ms Barker said she looked forward with interest to her contributions at the council table.
