Labour-endorsed candidate Justin Lester will be the next mayor of Wellington, and he says his first priority is to "reset" the council's relationship with central government.
According to progress election results, Lester has won by a clear margin over independent and outgoing Porirua mayor Nick Leggett.
Centre-right candidate Jo Coughlan is in third place.
A press release sent out by Lester's team shortly after the news said he would "hit the ground running".
"We need to unlock investment funding immediately, and to do that I know it is important to reset and strengthen the relationship between our city council and central government.
"My first official phone calls will be made to the Beehive to rebuild those relationships."
Lester said his priorities were to support business growth, give rebates to first home builders, provide free swimming for children under 5, to make Wellington pest free and freeze the cost of public transport.
Wellington's Returning Officer, Clare Sullivan, said Lester won by a majority of more than 6000 in the last iteration of the progress result.
She said some 4500 votes still have to be counted - but they are not expected to change the result.
Progress voter turnout in Wellington is at 42 per cent, compared with 40.85 per cent in 2013, and 40 per cent in 2010.
Sullivan said the turnout had benefited from a "major last-minute surge" of voters.
Lester has been a councillor since 2010 and was appointed deputy mayor by outgoing mayor Celia Wade-Brown three years ago.
Wade-Brown was still in the running when he announced his candidacy in December, but later dropped out and threw her support behind him.
Lester's to do list includes the waterfront film museum, extending the airport runway and a convention centre.
He has also vowed to focus on support for small business - he co-founded health food chain Kapai in 2005 - housing and economic investment.
