Rotorua's Trevor Maxwell has been an elected councillor for 48 years. Photo: Supplied/ Rotorua Lakes Council
New Zealand's longest-serving councillor - Rotorua's Trevor Maxwell - has been elected to what is believed to be a national record.
Progress results on Saturday evening - Election Day - showed Maxwell was elected to Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward for the Rotorua Lakes District Council.
He is in his late 70s and has been an elected councillor for 48 years.
His win means he will soon pull ahead of Doug Truman, who served on Grey District Council from 1968-2016, believed to be the national record.
Earlier this year, Maxwell was asked what his plans were. He said: "One more term."
There were three vacancies for Te Ipu Wai Taketake Māori ward. By Saturday evening, progress results showed Maxwell had claimed his seat with 1979 votes.
The other two councillors elected to the ward were Te Rika Temara-Benfell, with 2019 votes, and Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, with 1731.
Maxwell told the Rotorua Daily Post he was proud and "very, very honoured", and pleased Rotorua had voted to keep Māori wards.
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