"We did it."
Those are the words of an emotional Tory Whanau who has claimed victory in Wellington's mayoral race.
Whanau will be the capital's next mayor following a mayoral race against two high-profile candidates, Labour MP Paul Eagle and outgoing mayor Andy Foster.
She thanked Wellingtonians for "making history" - electing the capital's first-ever indigenous woman.
"The preliminary results are in, and I am incredibly humbled to confirm that I will be Wellington's next mayor," she said in a statement.
In a picture provided to Newshub, Whanau is seen clearly emotional while on the phone being informed of the results.
She acknowledged outgoing mayor Andy Foster "for his dedication and service to the city".
She added at the start of her campaign she was an "unknown" candidate to Wellington, but thanked her campaign and Wellingtonians for electing her.
"Thanks to an awesome grassroots campaign, positivity, a progressive policy platform, and most importantly the people of Wellington, we have come out of nowhere to beat two high-profile politicians. This shows people are ready for change."
Whanau said Wellingtonians have spoken and the capital is "ready for a new leader".
"That can take our city forward and help our people navigate the difficult challenges we must overcome to have a thriving and climate-resilient city," she said.
"I am looking forward to working with everyone who has been given the privilege of representing our communities. Wellingtonians expect us to rebuild from the last three years and work together for the good of our city. I look forward to hearing everyone's ideas about how we deliver the change people deserve."
According to a progress report released on Saturday afternoon, Whanau received 29,458 votes compared to incumbent mayor Foster who received 13,032 votes, a margin of 16,426 votes.
Wellington City deputy electoral officer Jennifer Parker said about 85 percent of the votes received have been counted but a "huge" number of last-minute votes means a preliminary result won't be available until Sunday.
