"The preliminary results are in, and I am incredibly humbled to confirm that I will be Wellington's next mayor," she said in a statement this afternoon.
Whanau was a familiar face to Wellington's beltway, but a relative newcomer to the rest of the city when she announced her bid for the mayoralty.
She made her intentions clear in November last year and has steadily built name recognition ever since in a grassroots-style campaign.
Whanau has pitched her ability to bring people together, leaning on her experience negotiating with New Zealand First.
She ran as an independent for the mayoralty and was endorsed by the Greens.
Wellington's mayoralty had been a three-horse race between Whanau, incumbent Andy Foster and Labour MP Paul Eagle.
Foster has been on Wellington City Council for three decades and became mayor in 2019 with a narrow margin of 62 votes over Justin Lester.
But it has been anything but smooth sailing for the experienced councillor.
Foster's council has been accused of in-fighting and being dysfunctional, with the situation deteriorating to the point he ordered an independent review of his own council.
Eagle is a well known to local politics after being a councillor, deputy mayor, and the current Rongotai MP.
He ran a "back to basics" campaign and pitched himself as a steady hand.
Progress results show Labour's Campbell Barry is set to return for a second term as Lower Hutt's mayor.
He has a lead of 1265 votes over former council chief executive Tony Stallinger, with 90 per cent of votes counted.
"I'm very happy and I think it's a pretty clear win and I'm really excited to work with one of the most progressive and diverse councils in New Zealand," Barry said.
Progress results have Campbell Barry in the lead to return for another term as Lower Hutt's mayor. Photo / Georgina Campbell
The rivals agreed before the election to have a beer together whatever the outcome.
Stallinger has been elected as a city-wide councillor, so will still have a seat around the table.
Barry said he would pop some bubbles on Saturday night and celebrate with volunteers at the Wainuiomata rugby club.
Long time Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy will return for another term in the top job with a majority of 1440 votes.
Over in the Wairarapa, Former New Zealand First MP Ron Mark is in the lead to win Carterton's mayoralty with a narrow majority of 423 votes.
