Conservative Matthew Scott has been declared as Kent's new Police and Crime Commissioner.
The Tory candidate, from Swanley, beat Ukip's Henry Bolton to the position - following an election which quickly became a two horse race.
The first round of counting revealed Ukip had bagged 73,299 votes, and the Tories got 88,398 - both comfortably ahead of the other four candidates including Gravesham's Gurvinder Sandher.
Matthew Scott
Mr Scott, a former Bexley Councillor and political assistant to Bexleyheath and Crayford MP David Evennett, won Dover, Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Dartford, Gravesham, Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Malling.
Mr Bolton won in the Medway, Swale, Thanet and Shepway districts.
As there was no clear winner during the first round of votes, the ballot moved to second preference votes for the top two candidates in a bid to determine the outcome.
Mr Scott was then announced the overall winner.
Only 21.5 per cent of Kent residents turned out to vote - however, this figure is higher the 16.3 per cent turnout at the last KPCC elections in 2012.
Mr Scott will replace controversial outgoing commissioner Ann Barnes in the £85,000-a-year position.
He is now in charge of the force budget and will be required to set the police council tax and have the power to appoint and dismiss the Chief Constable.
As commissioner he must also hold the Chief Constable to account and set out an annual police plan.
Election results in your area:
First round results
Dartford
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 3,906
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 429
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,525
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,391
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 4,077
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 484
Gravesham
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 3,140
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 464
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 3,170
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 2,765
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 3,788
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 466
Sevenoaks
Henry Bolton (Ukip) 4,530
David Naghi (Liberal Democrat) 1,125
Tristan Osborne (Labour) 2,468
Gurvinder Singh (Independent) 1,463
Matthew Scott (Conservative) 7,067
Steve Uncles (Eng Democrats) 407
Second round results
Dartford
Henry Bolton 831
Matthew Scott 993
Gravesham
Henry Bolton 828
Matthew Scott 1,016
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here