Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger has been re-elected by a majority of almost 20,000 votes.
The progress results released by Christchurch City Council on Saturday show Mauger won 54,644 votes, a majority of almost 20,000. His nearest rival Sara Templeton received 34,726 votes.
The next highest polling mayoral candidate was Thomas Healey who received 1547 votes.
Mayor-elect Mauger will be joined at the city council table by two new councillors and 14 returning councillors, as progress results stand.
The votes received on Saturday and special votes were yet to be counted, so some results could change.
Results of individual wards:
- In the Banks Peninsula ward, Tyrone Fields won the seat with 2649 votes
- In the Burwood ward, Kelly Barber won the seat with 4925 votes
- In the Cashmere ward, Tim Scandrett won the seat with 5076 votes
- In the Central ward, Jake McLellan won the seat with 1634 votes
- In the Coastal ward, Celeste Donovan won the seat with 4155 votes
- In the Fendalton ward, David Cartwright won the seat with 4707 votes
- In the Halswell ward, Andrei Moore won the seat with 6691 votes
- In the Heathcote ward, Nathaniel Herz Jardine won the seat with 4486 votes
- In the Innes ward, Pauline Cotter won the seat with 2873 votes
- In the Linwood ward, Yani Johanson won the seat with 3290 votes
- In the Papanui ward, Victoria Henstock won the seat with 3991 votes
- In the Riccarton, Tyla Harrison-Hunt won the seat with 1431 votes
- In the Spreydon ward, Melanie Coker won the seat with 3733 votes
Three sitting Councillors were re-elected unopposed. These are:
- Aaron Keown, Harewood Ward
- Mark Peters, Hornby Ward
- Sam MacDonald, Waimairi Ward
Mauger held an event at his Avonhead home at 3pm on Saturday.
His re-election campaign was based around making rates increases affordable, delivering major projects like One New Zealand Stadium on time and on budget and stable leadership at the council table.
"The (city council) chief executive Mary (Richardson) rang and she told me the difference, and I went, 'wow', I was blown away.
"I was always confident. You always be as confident as you can. I was always confident I would win, but I didn't think by that much."
Looking at the 34.04% voter turnout in the progress results, Mauger says New Zealand has "absolutely terrible" turnout for local body elections.
"Maybe we should do away with postal voting. I don't know, but there must be a better way of doing it to get people more engaged."
Templeton congratulated Mauger on his victory in an "amicable" phone call earlier this afternoon.
"Sara was a good competitor," he said.
"And I'm very grateful to the people of Christchurch for giving me the chance to do another three years."
He is looking forward to catching up with the fresh faces around the council table, Cartwright in Fendalton and Herz-Jardine in Heathcote.
"I've seen them a couple of times around the trip, so to speak, but looking forward to catching up with them tomorrow. It's going to be good fun and I think our first full meeting is the end of this month."
Mauger has not decided who his deputy will be but says he has a "few ideas floating around". Cotter, who retained her seat on the council, was his deputy last term.
Meanwhile, Templeton spent the day with supporters and family at her parents' home in Bryndwr.
Templeton ran a progressive, future-focused campaign which focused on fixing the city’s leaking water infrastructure, providing better public transport and opposing sales of the city’s strategic assets like Lyttelton Port Company and the airport.
“While today’s result wasn’t what we hoped for, I’m deeply proud of the positive, future-focused campaign we ran and so grateful to everyone who believed in a better future for our city," said Templeton.
“Going into this campaign, I always knew it would be a tough ask to beat an incumbent mayor, but it was important that residents had a real choice. We focused on the issues that matter: fixing infrastructure, building strong communities, and creating a fairer, greener, more connected and resilient city ready to face the challenges ahead.”
“Over the past twelve years, we’ve achieved so much together, from rebuilding community facilities to creating the stunning Coastal Pathway. It has been an absolute privilege to serve and to see Ōtautahi grow and evolve. I’ve been proud to lead Council’s efforts to make progress in the climate change space, both in lowering our emissions and planning for the challenges and opportunities coming our way."
"I'm absolutely ecstatic. It gives me confidence that the people of Innes have placed their trust in me for another term," Cotter said.
"When you put your neck on the line and ask people for that support again and they give you that support it's very heartening."
Cotter is confident she will still be the winner when the final votes are counted.
She beat Jones by just eight votes in the 2022 election after a recount.
Jones says she is "still processing" the progress result as it stands and is looking forward to the final vote.
"I hope the residents and businesses of Innes Ward get the representation they want," said Jones.
New Heathcote Ward city councillor Herz Jardine won the seat with 4486 votes.
He thanked his family and supporters.
"I was feeling nervous this morning but I'm so proud of the work we've put in. We knocked on over 3000 doors," he said.
"I'm just so excited and so thrilled and ready to get into it."
He called his opponent, Ian Kearney, to thank him for a good campaign.
"He's always been very friendly and deeply cares about the community too."
Kearney said he is "extremely disappointed" by his loss after a hard-fought campaign. But he sent his "best wishes" to Herz-Jardine.
New Fendalton Ward city councillor Cartwright won his seat with 4707 votes.
"Very excited. Thanks so much to my friends and family," Cartwright said.
"I acknowledge Xavier and Diane for campaigning too and standing up.
"I'm extremely honoured and excited. I've had 15 years of experience on the community board. I'm a ratepayer and business owner and JP. I bring lots of skills and experience."
McLellan says it feels good to get a "clear mandate from central voters".
"I think the results speak for themselves. It was a convincing majority and I'm looking forward to getting back to work."
McLellan said Mauger's win shows voters are "largely happy with the direction the city is heading in."
He says all The People's Choice city councillors winning re-election is a "win for the left."
"It shows people don't want to see things like asset sales happen."
Riccarton Ward city councillor Harrison-Hunt beat out four challengers to retain his seat.
"I always knew it would be challenging with the other candidates. I think they're all really good so I just want to say to them 'thanks for putting your hand up'," Harrison-Hunt said.
"It's been an honour representing the ward for the past three years and I'm looking forward to the next.
"I am really gutted for my mate Sara. She's taught me so much as a councillor over the past three years. She will be missed."
The preliminary results, including today’s votes but not special votes, are due to be released by 4pm on Sunday. The final results are set to be declared by October 16.
The turnout in Christchurch was 33.4% by the end of Friday, lower than the 39% at the same time last election.
Throughout New Zealand, more than 200 candidates have already been elected by default.
At noon, voting boxes across the country were sealed and taken to vote processing centres to be counted.
Three-and-a-half thousand candidates competed for 1500 positions across New Zealand.
-With RNZ
