Image via WikipediaLower Hutt gets new mayor - Ray Wallace gives David Ogden a very swift farewell.
FRESH FACE: Wainuiomata ward councillor Ray Wallace is the new mayor of Lower Hutt.
Local body elections From MP to newbie mayor Horizons Regional Council results Guppy holds on to Upper Hutt Hastings mayor increases majority No change for Hawke's Bay Regional Council Retired farmer wins in Tararua Taupo race too close to call New mayor for Central Hawke's Bay Napier mayor wins fourth term Wainuiomata ward councillor Ray Wallace has trounced incumbent two-term mayor David Ogden to take Lower Hutt's mayoral chains.
Mr Ogden conceded defeat in a phone call to Mr Wallace this afternoon and said he was "definitely not going to be a bitter loser".
"I rang him and I said: 'Congratulations your worship' and I think he liked that," Mr Ogden said.
"He ran a good campaign and I'm really appreciative for the 10,000 people who voted for me. That was really sweet.”
Mr Ogden said there had been "some dirty stuff" during the election race which had been hard.
The pair fought an ugly mayoral campaign marked by accusations by Mr Wallace of dirty tricks and a smear campaign against him by Mr Ogden.
It followed a mass mail out by Mr Ogden which Mr Wallace said misrepresented his position on water metering.
But with 98 per cent of the votes counted this afternoon, Mr Wallace led Mr Ogden by 15,569 votes to 10,624.
Mr Ogden said he would continue with his accountancy business and various directorships. He had also been voted back onto the Hutt Valley District Health Board and hoped to continue serving the city in whatever
capacity he could.
"It's been a blessing.
"I've been beaten fair and square. Ray and I have said congratulations and I'm just going to move on."
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