1903 Wellington mayoral election

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1903 Wellington mayoral election
Wellington coat of arms (1878-1951) (shield only).svg
  1902 20 April 1903 1904  
  John Guthrie Wood Aitken, ca 1902-1908.jpg
Candidate John Aitken
Party Independent
Popular voteelected unopposed

Mayor before election

John Aitken

Elected mayor

John Aitken

The 1903 Wellington mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1903, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including the fifteen city councillors, elected biannually. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Contents

Background

This was the first election following the amalgamation of the Melrose Borough Council into the Wellington City Council following a vote in March 1903. In addition to combining the electoral rolls for the election of mayor, it instituted a ward for the former borough for the term beginning in 1903 to ensure members of the community were elected to the city council. [1] The Wellington Ratepayers' Association had had its organisation become largely moribund following the 1901 election. Despite lacking any regular activity, it advertised a slate of candidates it endorsed for the city council. [2] [3]

John Aitken, the incumbent Mayor, sought re-election for a fourth term in office. A large deputation of businessmen visited Aitken and requested he run again offering support and claiming others also wished him to remain in office longer, as evidenced by Aitken being elected to parliament at the 1902 general election. [4] The next day Aitken stated he had accepted the nomination of the deputation members. [5] The mayor of Melrose, Richard Keene, decided not to run for mayor and only offered himself for election to the Melrose ward of the city council. [6] The Trade Council voted to nominate a candidate to oppose Aitken. It voted to form a deputation to ask a former mayor, Francis Bell, to accept nomination. [7] Ultimately, Aitken retained office unopposed with no other candidates emerging. [8]

Councillor results

Wellington ward
1903 Wellington City Council election, Wellington ward [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Ratepayers George Winder 2,863 93.21 +18.40
Ratepayers William Barber 2,831 92.18 +15.52
Ratepayers John Luke 2,826 92.02 +13.36
Ratepayers William Evans 2,745 89.38 +14.3
Ratepayers John Smith Jr. 2,677 87.17 +23.32
Ratepayers Matthew Murdoch 2,610 84.98 +19.52
Ratepayers James Devine 2,609 84.95 23.89
Independent David Nathan 2,568 83.62 +23.32
Ratepayers George Wiltshire 2,563 83.45
Independent Charles Hayward Izard 2,118 68.96 +11.14
Labour David McLaren 2,108 68.64 +21.15
Independent James Godber 1,953 63.59 +8.19
Ratepayers Alexander Rand1,86060.56+38.90
Independent Robert Tolhurst1,66554.21
Independent George Anderson1,41746.14+0.35
Ratepayers Robert Davenport1,26841.28+8.20
Independent George Baylis1,01533.05
Labour William Hampton99032.23
Ratepayers William Worth90529.46
Independent Allan Orr79926.01−13.92
Independent William Grant75624.61
Ratepayers Thomas Orr60919.83
Independent Vilhelm Jensen42113.70
Turnout 3,51432.56−49.67
Registered electors 10,790
Melrose ward
1903 Wellington City Council election, Melrose ward [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Albert Jorgensen 450 51.60
Independent George Frost 357 40.94
Ratepayers Richard Keene 330 37.84
Ratepayers Arthur Fullford31536.12
Ratepayers James Reid31335.89
Independent John Brown28933.14
Independent Colin Campbell Crump21624.77
Independent Walter Morrah20923.96
Independent William Brannigan13815.82
Turnout 87245.96
Registered electors 1,897

References

Citations

  1. Betts 1970, p. 39.
  2. Betts 1970, pp. 96–7.
  3. "Municipal Elections". New Zealand Times. Vol. LXXIV, no. 4949. 27 April 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  4. "The Mayoralty of Wellington - Deputation to Mr. Aitken". The Evening Post . Vol. LXV, no. 77. 1 April 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  5. "The Wellington Mayoralty - Mr. Aitken Decides to Seek Re-election". The Evening Post . Vol. LXV, no. 77. 1 April 1903. p. 4. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  6. "Untitled". New Zealand Mail. No. 1623. 8 April 1903. p. 49. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  7. "The Mayoralty - Mr H. D. Bell to Be Invited to Stand". New Zealand Mail. Vol. LXXIV, no. 4930. 3 April 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  8. "Mayoral Election". Free Lance. Vol. III, no. 147. 25 April 1903. p. 22. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Wellington City Council". Free Lance. Vol. III, no. 148. 2 May 1903. p. 16. Retrieved 11 May 2016.