The race for the Gore District Mayoralty is too close to call at the close of voting today.

The progress results, which are based on about 90% of the returned votes, has incumbent Tracy Hicks with 2,181 votes, while his challenger Ben Bell, of Team Hokonui, has 2,170.

The preliminary result, which will include all votes cast late yesterday (Friday) and today, will be available tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon. This result will not include special votes.

Today’s results see four new faces around the Council table when it meets next. They are:

• District wide Keith Hovell and Joe Stringer (Team Hokonui)

• Gore ward Paul McPhail and Robert McKenzie (Team Hokonui)

Incumbents who faced the ballot box and have been returned to office are:

• Bronwyn Reid,

• Bret Highsted,

• Glenys Dickson, and

• Richard McPhail.

The election of Richard and Paul McPhail will see brothers sitting on the Gore District Council for the first time in its history.

It’s a changing of the guard at Mataura, with the community board having four new members.

The Gore District voter turnout was among the highest in the south with 4,455 voters (48.93%) having their say as of yesterday. This figure is expected to rise as late votes

are added.