Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The Electoral Commission has confirmed the final results of the Port Waikato by-election won by National's Andrew Bayly.
Bayly fended off a campaign from New Zealand First's Casey Costello, winning with more than 14,000 votes compared to Costello's 2864.
Seven others contested the election but none received more than about 400 votes.
Turnout was 35.9 percent of enrolled voters in the electorate, which compared with 31.4 percent and 40.5 percent for the Hamilton West and Tauranga by-elections last year.
Bayly had been an MP already under National's list, so his confirmed win and resumption of the Port Waikato seat will allow the next person on the list, Nancy Lu, to enter as an MP on National's list.
Bayly had held the seat before the 2023 general election, but the race in the electorate was cancelled after the death of ACT candidate Neil Christensen.