List of by-elections to the Auckland City Council

Last updated

By-elections to the Auckland City Council occur to fill vacant seats in the City Council. The death, resignation, bankruptcy or expulsion of a sitting Councillor can cause a by-election to occur.

Contents

Background

Local by-elections usually had a lower turnout compared to full local body elections. A notorious example occurred in August 1961 when a vacancy triggered the second by-election in under a year which had a turnout of only 3.65% of voters, prompting Mayor Dove-Myer Robinson to label the light turnout "...absolutely disgraceful. By failing to exercise their democratic right the public is just asking Parliament to take away from them the right to vote". [1] By-elections on the city council were on occasion deferred if a substantial majority of the council agreed to fill the vacancy by appointment, resulting in the highest polling unsuccessful candidate at the previous election being appointed to the council unless there is a public demand for a poll to be held (known as extraordinary vacancies). This arrangement has happened several times such as in 1940 when Charles Bailey resigned his seat which was taken by Harry Butcher and March 1953 when Arthur Bailey died and his seat was taken by Bob Beechey. [2]

Two future Mayors of Auckland (John Allum and Dove-Myer Robinson) entered the council via by-elections in 1920 and 1952 respectively.

List of by-elections

1903–86

Between 1903 and 1986 municipal elections in Auckland were conducted at large. The following is a list of by-elections held to fill vacancies on the Auckland City Council at large:

Key

  Independent   Labour   Citizens & Ratepayers   United Independents   Civic Reform
DateIncumbentCauseWinner
1908 Robert Stopford Resignation John Patterson
1909Moncrieff Murray McCallumResignationRalph Thomas Michaels
May 1910 Lemuel Bagnall Resignation Henry Shaw
Sep 1910Herbert SmeetonResignation Jonathan Trevethick
1920 Ernest Davis Resignation John Allum
Andrew Entrican George Hutchison
1921 Patrick Nerheny Death George Davis
Apr 1922Harold Dennett HeatherDeathAlfred Lawry
Peter Mitchell Mackay Samuel Crookes
Oct 1922 Horatio Bagnall DeathChristopher Furness
1928Frederick BrinsdenDeath Tom Bloodworth
1936John William YarnallDeathJim Purtell
1938 George Richardson DeathCharles Bailey
1952Howard HunterExpulsion Dove-Myer Robinson
1954 Fred Ambler Expulsion Fred Ambler
Bruce BarnettResignation Val Chapman
1957 Keith Buttle Resignation Wilfred Fortune
1958Howard HunterDeathCharlie Passmore
Feb 1961James Neil BradleyDeath Val Chapman
Aug 1961 Mary Dreaver DeathHoward Jeffreys
1963 Tom Pearce Expulsion Tom Pearce
Fred de Malmanche ResignationWilliam Grant-Mackie
1979Bill BarrettDeath Richard Northey

1986–2010

Between 1986 and 2010 municipal elections in Auckland were held via a Wards system of local electoral districts. [3] The following is a list of by-elections held to fill vacancies on the Auckland City Council under the ward system:

Key

  Independent   Citizens & Ratepayers   Alliance
WardDateIncumbentCauseWinner
Avondale1987Barry DonovanDeathBrian Maude
Central1988 Harold Goodman DeathSue Corbett
Maungakiekie1991 Grahame Thorne ResignationKen Graham
Hauraki Gulf Islands1994 Sandra Lee ResignationGordon Hodson
Avondale-Roskill2000Phil RaffillsDeath Noelene Raffills
Avondale-Roskill2008Linda LeightonDeathJohn Lister

Results

1908 by-election

1908 Auckland City Council by-election [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens John Patterson 1,46140.78+6.41
Independent George Read96626.96
Independent George Gregory61217.08+0.75
Independent Samuel White2426.75
Ind. Labour League William Rowland2176.05-7.29
Independent Rupert Mantell401.11
Informal votes441.22
Majority49513.81
Turnout 3,58217.90-21.20

1909 by-election

1909 Auckland City Council by-election [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens Ralph Thomas Michaels1,43651.98+11.76
Independent John Mitchell73826.34
Ind. Labour League Thomas Walsh31411.21
Independent William Black1946.92-9.13
Independent Joseph George Haddow396.92
Informal votes802.85
Majority71825.63
Turnout 2,80114.36

May 1910 by-election

May 1910 Auckland City Council by-election [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens Henry Shaw 1,66254.94+7.83
Independent Ernest William Burton82827.37
Independent William Richardson31810.51
Independent Thomas Harkins2016.64
Informal votes160.52
Majority83427.57
Turnout 3,02515.92

September 1910 by-election

September 1910 Auckland City Council by-election [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens Jonathan Trevethick 1,42060.68
Independent Ernest William Burton90238.54+11.17
Informal votes180.76
Majority51822.13
Turnout 2,34012.31

1920 by-election

1920 Auckland City Council by-election [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Citizens' George Hutchinson3,49567.93
Progressive Citizens' John Allum 3,11560.54
Independent James Dickson2,56849.91
Labour Ted Phelan 2,31645.01+7.00
Labour Oscar McBrine2,22243.18+8.15
Informal votes701.36
Majority54710.63
Turnout 5,145

1921 by-election

1921 Auckland City Council by-election [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour George Davis 1,205 47.57 +7.70
Progressive Citizens' Eric Inder1,18646.82+1.03
Independent Ernest Clark1425.60
Majority190.75
Turnout 2,533

April 1922 by-election

April 1922 Auckland City Council by-election [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Progressive Citizens' Alfred Lawry3,28630.28
Progressive Citizens' Samuel Crookes 3,24629.91
Labour Ted Phelan 2,24520.68-13.60
Labour Dick Barter2,07519.12-7.77
Majority1,0019.22
Turnout 5,42615.10

October 1922 by-election

October 1922 Auckland City Council by-election [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Christopher H. Furness 1,984 37.99
Progressive Citizens' Dick Thompson1,65731.73
Labour Jeremiah James Sullivan1,58130.27
Majority3276.26
Turnout 5,22214.50

1928 by-election

1928 Auckland City Council by-election [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tom Bloodworth 4,350 55.56 +21.63
Progressive Citizens' John Lundon 2,87036.65+7.26
Independent Harold Schmidt6938.85+0.82
Majority1,48018.90
Turnout 7,82919.18

1936 by-election

1936 Auckland City Council by-election [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jim Purtell 4,146 59.42 +18.16
Citizens & Ratepayers William Lang Casey2,23332.00
Independent James Payne5437.78+2.02
Informal votes550.78
Majority1,91327.41
Turnout 6,977

1938 by-election

1936 Auckland City Council by-election [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Charles Bailey 11,434 51.32 +16.36
Citizens & Ratepayers Harry Butcher10,75848.28+6.02
Informal votes870.39
Majority6763.03
Turnout 22,279

1952 by-election

1952 Auckland City Council by-election [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Dove-Myer Robinson 4,874 45.21
Labour Richard Wrathall3,76134.89+0.73
Citizens & Ratepayers Aubrey Tronson2,14419.89-14.95
Majority1,11310.32
Turnout 10,77911.42

1954 by-election

1954 Auckland City Council by-election [16]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Fred Ambler 4,52329.13-13.48
United Independents Val Chapman 3,81624.58
Labour Edith Williams3,12720.14-7.74
Labour Ronald Akersten2,90118.68-10.94
Independent George Mullenger1,1397.33+1.17
Informal votes170.10
Majority6894.43
Turnout 15,52316.38

1957 by-election

1957 Auckland City Council by-election [17]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Wilfred Fortune 3,67539.20
Labour William Grant-Mackie2,01121.45-9.66
United Independents Frederick Johnston1,24813.31-16.10
Independent Roy Turner8328.87
Independent Charles Fisher5185.52-21.42
Independent Mary Dawson-Wright4454.74
Independent Richard Armstrong3273.48
Independent George Mullenger3043.24
Informal votes130.13
Majority1,66417.75
Turnout 9,373

1958 by-election

1958 Auckland City Council by-election [18]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Charlie Passmore2,43141.23
Labour William Grant-Mackie1,47324.98+3.53
Independent Roy Turner98916.77+7.90
United Independents Frederick Johnston97516.53+3.22
Informal votes270.45+0.32
Majority95816.25
Turnout 5,8958.11

February 1961 by-election

February 1961 Auckland City Council by-election [19]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Civic Reform Val Chapman 2,47556.14
Independent Cecil Paine46010.43
Communist Rita Smith 3808.62
Independent Raymond Barker3397.69
Independent Mary Dawson-Wright2676.05
Independent George Mullenger2515.69
Independent Harold Barry2365.35
Majority2,01545.71
Turnout 4,4085.80

August 1961 by-election

August 1961 Auckland City Council by-election [20]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Howard Jeffreys 2,203 84.86 +51.02
Communist Rita Smith 34113.13+4.51
Informal votes522.00
Majority1,86271.72
Turnout 2,5963.65

1963 by-election

1963 Auckland City Council by-election [21]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Tom Pearce 2,76627.64-9.14
Civic Reform William Grant-Mackie2,67226.70-6.54
Citizens & Ratepayers Clifton Keegan2,51725.15-9.89
Labour Thomas Price1,20512.04-7.13
Communist Bill Andersen 4544.53-14.82
Communist George Jackson3633.62-5.36
Informal votes270.26
Majority1551.54
Turnout 10,00412.50

1979 by-election

1979 Auckland City Council by-election [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Richard Northey 2,798 41.20 +6.89
Citizens & Ratepayers Kevin Ryan1,53822.64
Independent Bute Hewes1,38620.40
Independent Phil Warren 5958.76
Independent Matthew Connor2643.88-13.95
Cheer UpVince Terreni2103.09
Majority1,26018.55
Turnout 6,791

1987 by-election, Avondale Ward

1987 Avondale Ward by-election [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Brian Maude 1,612 38.65
Independent Jan Grefstad89621.48
Citizens & Ratepayers Sefulu Ioane84920.35
Labour Nora Rameka81319.49
Majority71617.17
Turnout 4,170

1988 by-election, Central Ward

1988 Central Ward by-election [24]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Sue Corbett1,17232.82
Independent Ross Baxter96927.14
Independent Peter Boys73220.50
Independent Peter Beyer41911.73
Independent Alan Clay1444.03
Independent Raymond Hyams1343.75
Majority2035.68
Turnout 3,57028.38

1991 by-election, Maungakiekie Ward

1991 Maungakiekie Ward by-election [25]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Ken Graham3,53637.70
Labour Richard Northey 1,72318.37
Green Laurie Ross1,50716.07
Independent Peter Boys1,35614.46
Independent Andrew Stanley1,25513.38
Majority1,81319.33
Turnout 9,377

1994 by-election, Hauraki Gulf Islands Ward

1994 Hauraki Gulf Islands Ward by-election [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Gordon Hodson 964 33.42
Independent Greg Davenport84529.29
Independent Robert Shadbolt2749.50
Independent Bruce Marx2619.04
Community IndependentPeta Dubbelman1725.96
Independent Robyn Storey1364.71
Independent Ian Andrews1023.53
Independent John Cranstoun662.28
Independent Frederick Boric642.21
Majority1194.12
Turnout 2,884

2000 by-election, Avondale/Roskill Ward

Avondale/Roskill Ward by-election, 2000 [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers Noelene Raffills 7,04135.48
Independent Penny Bright 6,27331.61
City Vision Doug Mansill2,39612.07
Independent Kathy Henderson1,8299.21
Independent Duncan McDonald1,4547.32
Independent Jan Grefsted8514.28
Majority7683.87
Turnout 19,84436.33

2008 by-election, Avondale/Roskill Ward

Avondale/Roskill Ward by-election, 2008 [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Citizens & Ratepayers John Lister4,71029.01
City Vision Catherine Farmer4,29626.46
Independent Paul Davie2,63716.24
Independent Feleti Key1,64110.11
Independent Mohammad Tauqir Khan1,0636.54
Independent Gillian Bagnall7194.42
Independent John Williams5693.50
Majority4142.55
Turnout 16,23126.10

Notes

  1. "Labour Man Wins Seat on Council". The New Zealand Herald . 28 August 1961. p. 3.
  2. Bush 1971, pp. 585–6.
  3. "Local elections on ward basis". The Evening Post . 9 October 1984.
  4. "Election of Councillor". Observer. Vol. XXVIII, no. 30. 11 April 1908. p. 18. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  5. "Election of Councillor". Observer. Vol. XXX, no. 6. 23 October 1909. p. 17. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  6. "Election of Councillor". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. XLVII, no. 14374. 19 May 1910. p. 10. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  7. "Election of Councillor". Observer. Vol. XXX, no. 52. 10 September 1910. p. 9. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  8. "Declaration of Poll". Observer. Vol. XLI, no. 13. 27 November 1920. p. 18. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  9. "Electoral". Auckland Star . Vol. LII, no. 305. 23 December 1921. p. 6. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  10. "Council by-election". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LIX, no. 18077. 29 April 1922. p. 8. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  11. "City by-election". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LIX, no. 18231. 26 October 1922. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  12. "City by-election". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LXV, no. 20098. 8 November 1928. p. 10. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  13. "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LXXIII, no. 22432. 30 May 1936. p. 8. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  14. "By-election". Auckland Star . Vol. LXIX, no. 159. 8 July 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  15. "Mr Robinson Wins City Council Seat". The New Zealand Herald . 7 April 1952.
  16. "Declaration of Poll". The New Zealand Herald . 21 October 1954. p. 6.
  17. "Final Figures Little Changed". The New Zealand Herald . 18 December 1957. p. 14.
  18. "Mr Passmore Wins Council Seat". The New Zealand Herald . 6 October 1958. p. 10.
  19. "Declaration of Result of Poll". The New Zealand Herald . 8 February 1961. p. 15.
  20. "Declaration of Result of Poll". The New Zealand Herald . 30 August 1961. p. 11.
  21. "Declaration of Result of Poll". The New Zealand Herald . 24 April 1963. p. 15.
  22. "Declaration of Result of Election". The New Zealand Herald . 12 February 1979. p. 17.
  23. Bush 1991, pp. 443.
  24. Russell, Alexia (14 November 1988). "Corbett Wins Council Seat". The New Zealand Herald . p. 3.
  25. Bassett 2013, pp. 382.
  26. "Lee ally wins her seat on city council". The New Zealand Herald . 30 May 1994. p. 10.
  27. Bassett 2013, pp. 386.
  28. "New councillor elected for Avondale/Roskill ward". Scoop.co.nz . 9 April 2008.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 New Zealand general election</span> General election in New Zealand

The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its two terms in office. The National Party, led by Jim Bolger, won a landslide victory and formed the new government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dove-Myer Robinson</span> New Zealand mayor

Sir Dove-Myer Robinson was Mayor of Auckland City from 1959 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1980, the longest tenure of any holder of the office. He was a colourful character and became affectionately known across New Zealand as "Robbie". He was one of several Jewish mayors of Auckland, although he rejected Judaism as a teenager and became a lifelong atheist. He has been described as a "slight, bespectacled man whose tiny stature was offset by a booming voice and massive ego".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1931 New Zealand general election</span>

The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the United–Reform Coalition Government, although the opposition Labour Party made some minor gains despite tallying more votes than any other single party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Northey</span> New Zealand politician

Richard John Northey is a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1984 to 1990, and again from 1993 to 1996. He served on the Auckland Council between 2010 and 2013, and is a member of the Labour Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1922 New Zealand general election</span> Election in New Zealand

The 1922 New Zealand general election was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 700,111 (87.7%) voters turned out to vote. In one seat there was only one candidate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1928 New Zealand general election</span> Election of 1928

The 1928 New Zealand general election was held on 13 and 14 November in the Māori and European electorates, respectively, to elect 80 MPs to the 23rd session of the New Zealand Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">23rd New Zealand Parliament</span>

The 23rd New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. It was elected at the 1928 general election in November of that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 Auckland City mayoral election</span>

The 1959 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1959, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including twenty-one city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Armishaw</span> New Zealand boxer and politician

Eric Cameron Armishaw was a New Zealand local-body politician and boxing referee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1908 Auckland City mayoral election</span>

The 1908 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1908, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1909 Auckland City mayoral election</span>

The 1909 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1909, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

The 1910 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1910, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1917 Auckland City mayoral election</span> New Zealand local elections,1917

The 1917 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1917, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including twenty-one city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Glasse</span>

Alfred Onslow Glasse was a New Zealand electrical engineer and local-body politician. He was chief engineer of the Auckland Electric Power Board for 29 years, and served as president of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers in 1942–43. Glasse was later elected as an Auckland City Councillor, and was deputy mayor from 1962 to 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Ambler</span>

Frederick Norman Ambler was a pioneering New Zealand businessman in the clothing trade and a long serving local-body politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Christchurch mayoral election</span> New Zealand mayoral election

The 1974 Christchurch mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1974, election were held for the Mayor of Christchurch plus other local government positions. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. A significant change was the introduction of a ward system, with city councillors elected in five wards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Pearce (politician)</span>

Thomas Henry Pearce was a New Zealand politician, rugby union player and businessman. He was chairman of the Auckland Regional Authority for 8 years. A controversial figure, he was known for his blunt, often fiery personality speaking forthrightly and not standing on ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1901 Auckland City mayoral election</span>

The 1901 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. Elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland on 24 April 1901. The previous mayor, David Goldie, was held in high regard by both the city councillors and the voters but he did not contest the poll; as a temperance advocate, he did not want to toast the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York who were to visit in June 1901 with alcohol. John Logan Campbell, who had become regarded as the Father of Auckland, was asked to represent the city. Campbell agreed on the proviso that he would only take on representative functions, with most mayoral tasks taken on by a deputy, and resign after the royal visit. Against general expectation, the mayoralty was contested by a brewer—Daniel Arkell—who had never held any public roles. Campbell won the election with nearly 80% of the votes, with senior city councillor Alfred Kidd deputising for him. Upon Campbell's resignation in July 1901, Kidd was elected the next mayor by his fellow city councillors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 New Zealand local elections</span> Local elections in New Zealand

The 2022 New Zealand local elections were triennial elections held in New Zealand on Saturday 8 October 2022. Voting began by postal vote on 16 September and ended at noon on 8 October 2022.

References