Peleti Oli, who is Samoan, won the most votes in the Flaxmere ward ousting Jacoby Poulain from her council seat.
The award-winning barber was the subject of Maori Television's The Barber series earlier this year.
The win hadn't really sunk in yet, but he couldn't wait to get to work on the big issues affecting his community, he said.
"Housing, jobs and mental illness are all big issues. Mental illness is very close to home for me. The water as well."
