UPDATED 4.37pm Steve Chadwick is celebrating victory, having won another three-year term as mayor of Rotorua.
Mrs Chadwick told the Rotorua Daily Post she had received a call from the Rotorua electoral officer informing her she had won the election with 7880 votes.
Mrs Chadwick has confirmed Dave Donaldson will again be her deputy.
Dr Reynold Macpherson of the Rotorua District Residents and ratepayers group, has conceded defeat. He told the Rotorua Daily Post he believed he had lost by about 2000 votes.
Mrs Chadwick and her supporters, including Mr Donaldson and council chief executive Geoff Williams, are celebrating the result at her home this afternoon.
Reporter Matthew Martin said there was a happy but subdued atmosphere, unlike the celebrations in 2013 when Mrs Chadwick won.
Seven people were in the running for the mayoralty - Mrs Chadwick, Dr Macpherson, district councillors Rob Kent and Mark Gould, RangiMarie Kingi, Frances Louis and John Rakei-Clark.
Newcomer Raj Kumar is in - while incumbents Karen Hunt and Janet Wepa look to be out.
Mrs Chadwick said she was very disappointed Karen Hunt and Janet Wepa had missed out on spots on the council.
"Both of them have been very hard working councillors leading their portfolios."
The Rotorua Daily Post understands Mr Kumar is the only new face among the 10 councillors elected to the Rotorua Lakes Council.
Mr Kumar, part of the Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers group, said he was going to take his job very seriously and wished to thank the people of Springfield for getting in behind him.
The Rotorua Daily Post understands the top 10 polling councillors at this preliminary stage are (in no particular order):
Tania Tapsell
Peter Bentley
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait
Trevor Maxwell
Dave Donaldson
Mark Gould
Raj Kumar
Rob Kent
Charles Sturt
Mike McVicker
Meanwhile, former Rotorua mayor Kevin Winters has won one of the two Rotorua seats on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Progress results show Lyall Thurston with 7556 votes, with Mr Winters close behind on 7001.
Neil Oppatt received 5755 votes while Katie Paul had 4098.
Mr Winters lost the mayoralty in 2013 to Mrs Chadwick, who was today re-elected for a second term.Â
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