The race for the fourth and final Wānaka Ward councillor seat remains tight, with only 18 votes separating candidates in the preliminary count released this afternoon (Monday October 13).

Incumbent councillor Cody Tucker is behind Yeverley McCarthy by a narrow margin, with Yeverley on 1,953 votes and Cody on 1,935. 

The gap has closed significantly since Saturday’s progress result, which had Yeverley leading by 122 votes.

“It came as a very big surprise to me because I was rung on Saturday … and told ‘congratulations you’re a councillor’ and I burst into tears,” Yeverley said.

“They told me I had won and they told Cody he had lost. It was not very well done.”

Yeverley said she and Cody were both advised the margin was big enough and unlikely to change.

Cody Tucker said he has been planning his future after Saturday’s result and is “struggling to process” the updated count.

“I was told on Saturday it was enough of a buffer not to change the result,” he said.

“I think we’re both taken aback by it.”

The preliminary result excludes special votes, which are still to be verified and counted.

Three councillors have already been confirmed for the Wānaka Ward: Nicola King, Quentin Smith, and Niki Gladding. The addition of either Yeverley or Cody will complete the ward’s four-member team.

This year’s election has seen major change across the Queenstown Lakes District, with a new mayor and several new councillors elected. 

Once the official count is confirmed on Thursday (October 16) the successful candidate will join the new council ahead of the first meeting of the new triennium.

After the preliminary result the voter return was 39.85 percent, being 12,399 votes, excluding special votes.

PHOTOS: Supplied