Just nine more votes would have made Jacquie Grant the second transgender person to ever be elected as a mayor in New Zealand.
Westland District Mayor Helen Lash has narrowly secured a second term in office, defeating Hokitika businesswoman Jacquie Grant by a razor-thin margin of just eight votes.
Final results released on Thursday evening confirmed Lash received 1609 votes, edging ahead of Grant’s 1601, reversing the preliminary count that had shown Grant slightly in front.
The final tally concludes one of the tightest mayoral contests in New Zealand’s 2025 local elections, a race that drew national attention for both its closeness and its potential historical significance.
Earlier in the week, preliminary figures had shown Jacquie Grant — an 82-year-old entrepreneur, community advocate, and transgender trailblazer — leading by 64 votes. If that result had held, Grant would have become New Zealand’s second transgender mayor, following the late Georgina Beyer, who made global history three decades ago as Carterton’s mayor.
In an earlier interview with RNZ, Grant reflected on what her candidacy represented, saying being her age and transgender was “probably fairly unique”. She joked, “Most people my age are getting ready for a ride on the Zimmer frame.”
Grant also told RNZ that voters in Westland cared less about her gender identity and more about her leadership and policy ideas. “Age is just a number and the transgender thing is really … I think people in Westland are more interested in what’s between my ears than what was between my legs 55 years ago.”
Her campaign focused on cutting rates and restoring fiscal discipline, arguing that residents were struggling under the cost of living. “They’re suffering because of the high rates bills, and they want someone who’s got the balls, I guess, to do it,” she said.
Despite the narrow loss, Grant responded graciously, taking to social media to congratulate her opponent.
“I want to extend my sincere congratulations to the Mayor-elect Helen Lash, who has won by eight votes,” she wrote.
“The democratic process has spoken, and I respect the decision of the Westland community.”
Lash, now confirmed for her second term as mayor, inherits a district where rates, infrastructure, and economic development remain key issues.
Grant’s supporters praised her integrity and determination, noting that her campaign brought new energy to Westland politics — and revived national conversations about representation and local leadership on the West Coast.
Whether behind the counter at her well-known Sock World shop or on the campaign trail, Grant has shown the resilience and authenticity that have defined her decades of community service — qualities that made this one of the most closely watched races of the year.
