Photo: 123rf
Two council positions have been decided by just seven votes in Taupō's local body elections.
Following preliminary results on Monday, several of the 12 seats at the council table hung in the balance until 671 special votes were counted.
In the final count released on Friday afternoon, with 4279 votes, Steve Manunui pulled ahead of Barry Delany to take the last remaining Taupō Ward seat by just seven votes.
The Mangakino-Pouakani Ward seat has gone to Hope Woodward, who wound up seven votes ahead of Marlene Johnson, with 327 votes.
All other results remain unchanged.
In total 15,866 people, 55.36 percent of Taupō's residents voted.
John Funnell has been elected as Taupō's mayor. He recieved 5600 votes, more than 1000 ahead of the next highest-polling candidate, Zane Cozens.
The city also voted to remove its Māori Ward for the 2028 and 2031 elections 9047 votes to 6058.
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