The Australian-born former zoo owner, foster mum and Hokitika Sock World owner took a 64-vote edge over incumbent Helen Lash in the first fall of the votes.
However, about 435 special and last-minute votes received on polling day were still to be processed and revealed late yesterday.
While the indicated win was still sinking in, Ms Grant said she was "deeply humbled" by the outpouring of support she had received.
One of the first people on the phone was friend and West Coast-Tasman MP Maureen Pugh. She had also heard from all bar one of her new councillors.
Ms Grant said about an hour after the ballot boxes closed she got a call from council chief executive Barbara Phillips to tell her she was ahead.
"And I was sworn to secrecy."
Ms Grant said her menagerie of fish and budgies at her Hokitika home were the first to learn the news.
However, by yesterday morning, after a night of celebrating, the mayoral-elect result seemed less surreal.
"I’d been psyching myself up all week that I could lose. I didn’t think it was a done deal by any means."
Ms Grant said her phone had been "blowing up" ever since.
"I’ve just been sitting here reading all the messages and feeling quite overwhelmed actually because half the West Coast has sent me messages."
Her preliminary position in the polls has also attracted national attention as she is in the running to become New Zealand’s oldest mayor — and second transgender mayor.
At 81, she is two years older than the previous oldest mayor, Auckland’s Wayne Brown, who was re-elected on Saturday.
She will also be New Zealand’s second transgender mayor after Georgina Beyer was elected to lead Carterton district in 1995, and became the first openly transgender mayor in the world.
Ms Grant said yesterday it showed the "progressiveness" of Coast voters.
"West Coasters are far more interested in what’s between my ears than what was between my legs 55 years go," she quipped.
"Society’s moved on a little."
Her campaign for the Westland mayoral chains had been based around transparency and affordability.
The likely ousting of two mayors on the West Coast at the weekend told her people had had enough of overspending.
"It’s telling me people have had a gutsful of paying and not getting anything."
The real work was about to begin, she said.
"I’m really, really conscious that there’s a hell of a lot to do, and a lot to learn."
One of her first jobs would be making the council chambers a more formal place.
"This sitting around the table with ... staff and everyone singing Kumbaya doesn’t work — it hasn’t worked for years. I want it set out far more formal."
Alongside replacing committees with councillor portfolios, she also expected to bring back some form of public forum, while closed workshops would be "avoided like the plague".
She was optimistic about the mix of experience and diversity of the new councillors.
"I think there’s a good team. It’s a workable group of councillors."
She would be carefully considering the role of deputy mayor, whom she envisioned as a possible successor.
"I’m only here for one term to get the job done firstly, and then hand over to someone who’s going to keep things going on an even keel."
The selection of deputy would also depend on the final results, she said.
Traditionally, it has gone to the highest-polling candidate. However, that was undone last time around when Ashley Cassin was picked to replace Steven Gillett.
Mr Gillett was one of only two sitting councillors to be re-elected on Saturday, the other being Reilly Burden who topped the polls overall and for the Northern Ward.
In the Southern Ward, where only two candidates stood and therefore no election was needed, Brian Manera returns to the table, joined by Janella Munns, of Franz Josef Glacier.
As of Saturday afternoon Ms Grant had 1292 votes compared with 1228 for Mrs Lash.
Fifty-six voting papers were returned blank for the mayoralty.
The final voter return for Westland was 44.56%, 2881 votes excluding special votes.
An 11th hour rush of returns between Thursday and Saturday accounted for 950 votes. The biggest day for voting was Saturday.
Saturday’s result is based on the counting of about 85% of returned results. Final results will be announced by Thursday and the first public meeting of the new council will be on October 23. — Hokitika Guardian
By Janna Sherman
