The Mayoral election was not as close as pundits had predicted.
But the count was much longer due to the new computer system.
Frank Branston won with Tory Nicky Attenborough second .
Lib Dems came third, more than 5,000 behind on first vote, after proclaiming it was neck and neck.
But the big losers were the council officers and political activists, who had to endure 16 hours of counting.
Bedford Borough Council was trialling a new Government funded system which scanned ballot papers and then electronically counted the votes.
It soon became evident that the system was a little more than temperamental than expected.
When it came to postal votes, almost a third of the 9,000 entered had to be verified.
Returning Officer and borough council chief executive Shaun Field said: "We would have liked to have gone quicker, but accuracy is the main thing."
Runner-up Cllr Nicky Attenborough said: "I am very pleased with the result. It was a bit like an elephant's pregnancy, but it was well worth the wait."
The Mayoral result was finally announced at 1.35am yesterday morning.
Mayoral Results
ROUND 1:
Nicky Attenborough (Con)
10,710
Frank Branston (BB)
15,967
Randolph Charles (Lab)
4,757
Christine McHugh (LD)
10,551
Justine McLennan (Grn)
1,538
ROUND 2:
Nicky Attenborough 13,313
Frank Branston 19,698
17,000 votes adjudicated =
38 per cent
Other borough election results below.
BRICKHILL (* Denotes sitting candidate)
Lib Dem gain
Brian Eric Anderson Lab 232
Nigel Ernest Haughton Con 1163
Steven John Mitchell BB 133
Charles Royden Lib Dem 1758 E
BROMHAM
Con hold
Lucy Clare Bywater Grn 113
Mary Susan Fogg BB 109
Nick Luder Lab 280
Stelios Mores Lib Dem 305
*Robert John Rigby*Con 1794 E
CARLTON
Ind hold
*Jim Brandon Ind 773 E
Stephen Richard Poole Lab 70
David William Robertson Lib Dem 121
Gordon Williams Con 359
CASTLE
BB hold
Patrick Clements Lib Dem 274
*Margaret Davey BB 1162 E
Laurie Evans Lab 479
David Stanton Fletcher Con 381
Saul Asher Keyworth Grn 138
CAULDWELL
Lab hold
Farhana Thoufique Ali BB 225
*Chris Black Lab 789 E
Andrew Michael Gerard Lib Dem 364
Justina Kathleen McLennan Grn 97
Kitty Stacey Con 491
CLAPHAM
Con gain
Christopher John Davies Grn 60
Frank Garrick Lab 166
Linda Anne Jack Lib Dem 258
Nigel Sparrow Con 762 E
Doug Tomkins BB 551
DE PARYS
Lib Dem hold
Catherine Louise Dale Con 543
Linda-Marie Mitchell BB 164
Sudaxshina Murdan Lab 134
*David Alexander Sawyer Lib Dem 735 E
GOLDINGTON
Lib Dem hold
June McDonald Lab 377
Angela Parker BB 346
*Paul Smith Lib Dem 1102 E
Pauline Ann Stewart Con 470
GREAT BARFORD
Con hold
*Carole Maxwell Ellis Con 1236 E
Franca Grelli Garrick Lab 136
Sarah-Jayne Holland Lib Dem 346
Jane Mary Richardson BB 137
HARPUR
Lab hold
Jonathan Lloyd Baker BB 236
Jen Foley Grn 114
Kabir Con 817
Michael Murphy Lib Dem 208
*Ian Nicholls Lab 959 E
KEMPSTON SOUTH
Lab hold
Michael Bonito Lib Dem 166
Steven Anthony Collins Con 830
*Carl Rex Meader Lab 962 E
Anthony John Upton Grn 71
KINGSBROOK
Lib Dem hold
Maxine Zenona Ali BB 109
*Anita Joan Gerard Lib Dem 995 E
Kieran Thomas Pedley Lab 485
Geeta Sandhu Con 487
Paul Russell Taylor Grn 93
PUTNOE (2 seats)
Lib Dem hold X 2
Karan Garcha Lab 237
Victoria Frances Harrison Grn 93
Sue Hayhurst BB 437
Ray Hostler BB 479
Janet Lehain Con 930
Mark Guy Lehain Con 916
David Cassels Maxwell Grn 94
Rosemary Faith Roome Lab 228
Sally Anne Smith Lib Dem 1327 E
*Myrtle Stewardson Lib Dem 1225 E
ROXTON
Con hold
Terence Carroll Lab 82
Paul Bernard Stekelis Lib Dem 116
Cecilia Thomas BB 17
Thomas Wootton Con 770 E
SHARNBROOK
Con gain
Christina Margaret Holloway Lab 53
Michael John Hurley Con 623 E
*Doug McMurdo BB 553
John Robert Ryan Lib Dem 75
TURVEY
Con hold
Roger Colin Barson Lab 90
Michael Brian Blackledge BB 88
Mark William Smith Con 697 E
Jacqueline Smithson Lib Dem 124
WILSTEAD
Con gain
Lloyd Allison BB 183
Lynne Faulkner Con 689 E
*Tony Hare Ind 460
Conrad Holden Longmore Lib Dem 137
Jane Owen Lab 144
WOOTTONLib Dem hold
Adrien Gordon Beardmore Lab 92
Robert Thomas Clyde Colman UKIP 177
Ben Foley Grn 44
Tim Hill Lib Dem 667 E
John Edwin Keech Con 376
David John Price BB 357