Update 3.35pm: Nelson's Māori Ward councillor Kahu Paki Paki said that it was "exciting" the city had voted to keep the ward.
"How cool is this? It shows that Nelson has come a long way since [the 2012 referendum] and full credit to the community who made space for the Māori voice at the table," he said.
"It qualifies my presence at the table. It reinforces the fact that the community wants the Māori Ward there, and, in turn, wants me there. That's great."
He added that it was "sad" the result hadn't been replicated in Tasman but said the district hadn't yet had an opportunity to see the ward "in action", as Nelson had.
Kahu described the results as a "litmus test" of which direction the community was moving.
"It's a slow moving machine, and sometimes it takes a bit of time. So, we're in this for the long game. This is about intergenerational opportunity. Every opportunity that we have to make progress in all of these different spaces is positive. "
Tasman's incoming Māori Ward councillor Paul Morgan was "disappointed" that the district hadn't supported the ward.
In Tasman, 6622 voted to keep the ward, while 8874 voted to remove the Māori Ward.
"I'm very interested to see the numbers, in terms of the overall turnout... and whether there's actually been change in the trend of those supporting the Māori electorate" he said.
"It's going to be interesting to see how the vote lies across the country, basically, and be able to reflect on how people are viewing it."
He didn't expect the result to impact his role as the Māori Ward councillor.
"I'll be able to engage in the Tasman electorate and talk to them about why Māori need to be at the table, so it's disappointing for me, but it gives me three years of opportunity to engage with them."
He added it was "great to hear" that Nelson had voted to keep the ward, and was looking forward to hearing the result in Marlborough.
Update 3:20pm: Nelson City Council will have just three new councillors around the table with all incumbents retaining their seats.
Nick Smith received 9514 and Aaron received 5546 votes for mayor.
Results for councillors, in order of votes are:
At Large: Aaron Stallard, Tim Skinner and Nigel Skeggs
Central Ward: Lisa Austin, Pete Rainey, James Hodgson and Matty Anderson
Stoke-Tāhunanui Ward: Mel Courtney, Campbell Rollo, Sarah Kerby and Trudi Brand
Update 3.10pm: Progressive results for Tasman are out with some candidates within a handful of votes of each other. These results are subject to change through the second and third counts.
Mayor - Tim King: 8641 votes, Richard Johns 3286, Timo Neubauer: 3179.
Golden Bay Ward - Mark Hume: 985 votes, Celia Butler 899.
Lakes-Murchison Ward - John Gully: 544 votes
Motueka Ward - Brent Maru: 2578 votes, Trindi Walker: 2210, Kerryn Ferneyhough: 1914
Moutere-Waimea Ward - Dave Woods: 2449, Dean McNamara: 2170, Mike Kininmonth: 2131
Richmond Ward - Jo Ellis: 3036, Kit Maling: 2984, Timo Neubauer: 2788, the final ward vacancy are separated by single votes that currently sit as: Mark Greening: 2601, Daniel Shirley: 2590 and Glen Daikee: 2576.
Update 2.48pm: Nick Smith has received the call that he is still the mayor of Nelson.
Tasman has voted to scrap the Māori Ward, while Nick says those in Nelson have chosen to retain it.
"I have been round the paddock a few times, but hugely encouraged... the most important thing is doing the job well," says Nick.
Update 2.20pm: Tim King has retained his position as mayor of Tasman, with his opposition, Timo Neubauer, being elected into the Richmond Ward.
Tim King has decisively won Tasman's mayoralty for the third time.
Timo Neubauer understands that he had come "nowhere close" to beating Tim King for mayor, with progress results indicating he had received more than 3000 votes to Tim's more than 8000.
However, he had been told he was the third-polling candidate for the Richmond Ward. As all four Richmond Ward councillors had run for re-election, that means at least one of the incumbents will have lost their seat.
Timo was excited to sit around the council table and contribute to "better decision-making".
"I think a lot of people were concerned about my lack of council experience, so I don't find the result at all surprising," he said.
"I feel like I've given it my best shot, and people had an option, and people chose to stick with Tim King for one more term.
It was a "low-key" affair at his place, however he expected some champagne to be cracked soon and he might head into town later in the evening to have a "quiet one".
The newly re-elected mayor said he was "very appreciative of people's support" but also "somewhat nervous" about the coming triennium.
"Obviously, [there's] so much on new council, which [you're] never quite sure how that's all going to play out. There's such a massive amount of stuff on and so much uncertainty in the world generally. So it's a mix of happy that I've been re elected, appreciative of people's support, and, the usual nerves that come with going into another council term."
Tim corroborated Timo, and said he had received more than 8000 votes, while Timo and Richard Johns "were quite similar", each apparently receiving more than 3000.
He received the news while at his son's place in St Arnaud as he spends the day with his family.
Update 2pm: Results are starting to trickle in for the Nelson Tasman elections.
John Gully has received a phone call to inform him he has been elected to replace Stuart Bryant in the Lakes-Murchison Ward, the first new face in 18 years.
Claire Hutt has also received the phone call that she has been successful in her bid for the Motueka Community Board.
Nick Smith, who briefly left his gathering of supporters to attend an event, said on his return that he was unsure whether it was his final appearance as Nelson's mayor, or his first of the new term.
Update 12pm: Voting has now closed with progressive results expected this afternoon.
Progressive results are the results from the first of three counts. The progressive votes are those counted by the closing time. They are usually released within two hours of the polls closing.
The second count yields the preliminary results - this is the count including those cast on the final day but counted after closing time, not including special votes and are expected by Sunday evening.
The third count yields the final results and includes all votes received. Usually released in the week following the polls closing.
This year voters have not only decided on who they want as their mayor and councillors, but whether they wish to see the Māori Ward continue in each area.
If a majority votes to remove them, the change will take effect from the 2028 term.
Both Kahu Paki Paki and Paul Morgan were elected unopposed to Nelson and Tasman Māori Wards respectively for the next term.
With just under half an hour left until voting closes in the Local Election 2025, Nelson App will be bringing you the results live as they come in.
As of the end of day Friday, just 38.22 per cent of enrolled voters had cast their vote in Nelson, the lowest number in years.
In Tasman, just 37.4 per cent of the 42,271 registered to vote had made their choice by the end of day Friday.
Nelson voter turnout at the end of day Friday was 41.89 per cent in 2022, with 45.06 per cent having cast their vote by the same time in the 2019 local election.
Total voter turnout in Nelson for 2022 was 51.14 per cent.
Nelson voters turned out earlier this year, with 3264 votes cast in by September 22, at which time not a single vote had been collected in 2022.
