Defeated Gore District mayor Tracy Hicks is seeking a recount after losing to 23-year-old Ben Bell by just eight votes.

The slim margin means a change to as few as four votes could see the result overturned.

There were also 115 informal or blank voting papers counted.

Hicks said he applied to the court for a recount this afternoon.

Bell held a narrow lead when the preliminary results were announced on 9 October and his win was confirmed last Thursday.

The final tally was 2371 votes for Bell and 2363 votes for Hicks.

The win made Bell reportedly the youngest mayor in the country's history.

Electoral officer Anthony Morton confirmed to RNZ last week the votes in the election were counted by machine.

Hicks said, with the tight margin, he owed it to his supporters and himself to ensure no errors were made in the result.

Hicks had held the mayoral chains for six terms.

Ben Bell is now facing a challenge after being announced the new mayor of Gore. Photo: Supplied / Facebook

Republished by arrangement.