Her only opponent, Richard Osmaston, of the Money Free Party received 451 votes.
In what’s thought to be a protest vote, 410 electors returned blank voting papers after they were urged to do so in a campaign against rate increases by the newly-formed Grey Ratepayers group.
Mrs Gibson said the result felt like a vote of confidence after what had been a difficult campaign, marked by personal abuse of mayors and councillors.
“We have some hard work ahead but we’ve got a good steady council and it’s heartening to know that so many people do actually have faith in those of us trying to do a good job. “
The council’s electoral officer says 85% of the Grey District votes have been counted, with an estimated 200 to 300 still to be counted after yesterday’s rush by electors to drop off voting papers in the official orange ballot boxes.
The last-minute vote could change the interim council line-up: two sitting councillors Rex McDonald and John Canning appear to have lost their seats to newcomers Paulette Birchfield and Terry Donaldson - but only 11 votes separate McDonald and Donaldson by Saturday afternoon.
The final results were expected to be announced by Thursday.
- By Lois Williams, Local Democracy Reporter
