The results are now in and Ron Spratt has been elected as the new member for the Te Puke Community Board.

Ron received 1098 votes while his sole opponent, Richard McNair, received a total of 579 votes in the by-election which concluded at midday.

A Western Bay of Plenty District Council spokesperson says about 25 per cent of the 6831 electors voted in the by-election.

Ron previously served on the community board from 1995-2001 and again in 2013-2016. He is also on the HubTrust which runs the Community Police Patrollers.

The by-election was triggered after the October 2016 Local Government Elections when two of the current members were elected onto the district council for the Te Puke/Maketu Ward – leaving an insufficient number on candidates for the community board.

Ron joins current members Peter Miller, Bev Button, and Joan Dugmore.