The 2024 Tauranga mayoral election was held to elect the mayor of Tauranga as part of the 2024 Tauranga local elections. The election took place between 29 June and 20 July 2024, with the official results released on 25 July. It was the first election since the Minister of Local Government appointed a Crown Commission on 9 February 2021 to oversee all of Tauranga City Council's governance responsibilities. The election was held using the Single Transferable Vote system.[1]
The last mayor, Tenby Powell, was elected to the office in October 2019 but resigned in November 2020, eight months after he was unanimously censured by his council for an angry outburst.[2][3] Following further mayoral "outbursts,"[4][5] Powell publicly called for the Minister of Local Government to appoint a commission to replace the "dysfunctional" council.[6][7] The decision to cancel the election for a new mayor and councillors, and the appointment of a crown commission instead by Local Government minister Nanaia Mahuta was not without controversy. A legal opinion by law firm Russell McVeagh found her decision may have been "unlawful"[8] and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges called the decision "dramatic and draconian",[9] while saying that Powell quitting removed "a significant source of friction" and it was reasonable to assume the council would become more functional with the election of a new Mayor and Councillors.[10]
The 2022 local elections were cancelled by the government and the commission will remain in place until an election for members of the Tauranga City Council is held on 20 July 2024. Additionally, the Minister also decided to postpone the 2025 local election in Tauranga until 2028.[11] The council elected in 2024 will thus serve a four year term, a first for New Zealand.[12]
20 July: Polling day. Voting documents needed to be at council before voting closes at 12 noon. Preliminary results available as soon as all ordinary votes are counted.
23–25 July: Official results, including all valid ordinary and special votes, declared.
The official results were released on 25 July,[24] showing Mahé Drysdale was elected as mayor.[25] Voter turnout was 38.77%,[25] which compares with a turnout of 40.28% at the 2019 election.[26]
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