Solid majority for new National MP Anderson

For the first time since 2008, the Waitaki electorate has a new MP but there is still a familiar tinge of blue.

National candidate Miles Anderson won the seat and was also able to restore the majority party vote on Saturday night.

Miles Anderson.

It is the first time the electorate has had a new MP since National’s Jacqui Dean won the seat for the first time in 2008.

Mr Anderson was over the moon with the result in which he secured 19,509 votes to the 9150 of his closest rival, Labour’s Ethan Reille.

"It’s amazing. I’m all at once relieved and excited," Mr Anderson said.

"It’s the culmination of months and months of work. I’m really pleased that our plan came together."

He was "really happy" to be a part of a National-led government.

"I’m also happy for my fellow candidates who would’ve been in the same position as me and it looks like we’re going to be in the Parliament together. I really look forward to working with those guys."

National also won the party vote with 16,508 votes.

This result was a "reflection of the mood of the electorate," Mr Anderson said.

"I think that people have felt that perhaps the last three years have been a bit too hard and the Labour Party hasn’t delivered on their promises."

Covering the entire electorate while on the campaign trail played a key role in his victory.

"I was everywhere. I got out and about in all sorts of situations, whether it was at farmers markets [or] sports games.

"I made sure that I was all over the place."

He would continue to advocate strongly for everyone from all over the electorate as their new MP, he said.

"I expect to hear from all the corners of electorate about the issues they are having. I will fight for the people and for the communities that are having issues.

Labour’s candidate Mr Reille, 19, said while the result was disappointing, he was very proud of his campaign.

"Coming into this six months ago, our only expectation of ourselves was to deliver a strong campaign that was positive, that was inclusive and that was truly representative of the community and we’ve done a damn good job of doing that."

He had a very clear message for those who may have thought this was a one-and-done in politics for him.

"I’m not going anywhere.

"This is just the start for me and these results are really encouraging for me because it shows we do have a lot more work to do. But I haven’t given up on our community.

"Regardless of the result, I will keep doing the work I’ve been doing ... to advocate for our community."

Mr Anderson had "an enormous job" ahead of him and Mr Reille was hopeful that the National MP was up for the task.

"Our community deserves so much and I really, really hope that we see true representation of them."

Mr Reille and his team conceded and congratulated Mr Anderson on his win just before 11pm.

Pleasance Hansen (Green Party) and Sean Beamish (Act New Zealand) were the next-highest polling candidates respectively.