Tamah Alley has declared victory in the Central Otago District Council mayoral election, issuing a media statement this afternoon announcing she will continue in the role of mayor.

Tamah was selected by councillors last year to fill the vacancy left by departing mayor Tim Cadogan, who resigned to take up a role with water regulator Taumata Arowai.

This time, she’s been selected by voters to serve as the district’s officially elected mayor for the next three years.

Tamah was up against Charlie Sanders of Cromwell and Mark Quinn of Teviot Valley, both of whom also contested council seats.

She described the result as a vote for shared direction, not individual leadership.

“This isn’t about one person. It’s about a community choosing a direction,” she said.

“We will be one team for Central Otago, listening first, deciding wisely, and delivering fairly.”

Tamah thanked voters for their trust and said she is committed to serving every part of the district with integrity, openness and respect.

She said a “People’s Council” model will help embed community voice in local decisions, with pop-up council hui across the district, citizens’ assemblies focused on key issues like housing, water and growth, and plain-language summaries that explain how public feedback shaped outcomes part of her vision.

Tamah signalled investment in water resilience, the development of balanced income streams to ease pressure on rates, and a commitment to protecting the district’s unique local character.

“We’ll choose solutions that are smart for our economy, sustainable for our environment, and soulful for our way of life,” she said.

She ended her statement with a request, encouraging residents to stay engaged and involved as the next chapter begins.

More progress results are expected to be released throughout the afternoon, with official confirmation due in the coming days.

The numbers

Mayor

• Tamah Alley: 5,130 votes
• Charlie Sanders: 1,886 votes
• Mark Quinn 1,318

Read more: Early results deliver new-look council