1877 Wellington City mayoral election

1877 Wellington City mayoral election

←  1876 28 November 1877 1878  →

Candidate Joe Dransfield George Elliott Barton Party Independent Independent Popular vote elected unopposed withdrew

Mayor before election William Hutchison Elected mayor Joe Dransfield

The 1877 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year to decide who would take the office of Mayor of Wellington.

Background

William Hutchison, the incumbent Mayor, initially intended to seek re-election however he later withdrew his candidature. This left a two-way race between former mayor Joe Dransfield and lawyer George Elliott Barton. ^[1] Barton later retired from election in consequence of being engaged in several legal cases pertaining to the city, meaning that if elected he would have had to appear in court against himself. ^[2] After Barton's mid-campaign withdrawal Dransfield was then declared elected unopposed and thus cancelled his remaining campaign meetings. ^[3] It was the second election in a row where the mayoralty was uncontested. ^[4]

Notes

1. "Wellington". Wanganui Chronicle . Vol. XX, no. 3523. 19 November 1877. p. 2.
2. "Wellington". North Otago Times . Vol. 1743, no. XXVI. 20 November 1877. p. 2.
3. "City Council - Re-Election of Mayor". The Evening Post . Vol. XV, no. 272. 20 November 1877. p. 2.
4. Betts 1970, pp. 37.

References

• Betts, George (1970). Betts on Wellington: A City and its Politics. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed Ltd. ISBN   0-589-00469-7.