UPDATED: 12.56pm Andrew King has been elected as Hamilton's new Mayor by a margin of just 9.

He edged out Paula Southgate for the top job.

The results come days after the two candidates have been waiting since Saturday to find out who will be the city's next Mayor. Before special votes were counted Andrew King held the lead by just 14 votes.

Today's official results include all valid special votes.

Mr King got 8728 votes to Ms Southgate's 8719.

Mr King said he was so excited by the result that he nearly cried.

"It's exciting. I nearly cried - but I didn't. But yeah, it's pretty cool. I really wasn't hanging my hat on it. It could have gone either way."

King said the first person he told the news to was his wife, Anne - who he had to wake up as she is in India, followed by his father and father-in-law, neither of whom have the internet.

"Anne was over the moon and my father he was very excited, he thought that I would get there but it was just so close."

He is yet to decide who his deputy would be.

He said the result could have gone either way, but in the end "it's a family in Hamilton that's made the difference".

He found out the news after receiving a call from council chief executive Richard Briggs who welcomed him to the job.

Despite missing out on the top job, Southgate was elected in the East Ward as a councillor - raking in a whopping 9409 votes - well ahead of next highest Rob Pascoe, who was elected with 6672 votes. Other winners in the East Ward were James Casson, 6280; Philip Yeung, 6027; Garry Mallett, 5274; and Mark Bunting, 5206.

Ms Southgate has offered her congratulations to Hamilton’s newly elected Mayor Andrew King.

“I’ve rung Andrew and offered my genuine congratulations and wished him all the best.

“Of course, I’m hugely disappointed.  To be so close, and be pipped by just nine votes is crushing.  But I know there is absolutely nothing else I could have done.  I pushed myself to the limit in the campaign and did all I could.”

Ms Southgate confirmed she will be seeking a recount, but in the meantime would pick up her duties as a Hamilton City Councillor for the East Ward. 

“Part of me would rather not do a recount because of the further uncertainty it creates.  But my supporters feel very strongly that I should because the margin is so close and I owe it to them to do that.”

She said she had been inundated with messages of support.  

“People seem absolutely stunned but that’s democracy isn’t it? I’ve had a number of people say if they had known it was going to be so close, they would have voted.  Well, I guess there’s a lesson to be learned from that."

Ms Southgate said the recount should not take the focus off Council business which she wants to continue “as normal”.  She said she has asked Hamilton City chief executive to keep things moving, despite the recount going on in the background. 

“There’s a job to be done and I was elected to do it. I’m absolutely looking forward to taking my place around the Council table and am  grateful to those who put me there.  It’s an honour to be elected and that’s what I’m focusing on."

Mr King will take office from Sunday, but won't be able to act until he is officially sworn in on October the 27th.

A declaration of results will be published on Saturday and elected members take office the day after.