2019 New Zealand local elections explained
Election Name: | 2019 New Zealand local elections |
Country: | New Zealand |
Previous Election: | 2016 New Zealand local elections |
Previous Year: | 2016 |
Next Election: | 2022 New Zealand local elections |
Next Year: | 2022 |
Election Date: | 12 October 2019 |
The 2019 New Zealand local elections were triennial elections to select local government officials and district health board members. Under section 10 of the Local Electoral Act 2001, a "general election of members of every local authority or community board must be held on the second Saturday in October in every third year" from the date the Act came into effect in 2001, meaning 12 October 2019.[1]
Most of the local elections were run by one of two companies on behalf of individual local bodies. Sometimes the company also provides the electoral officer.[2]
Aside from Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, most candidates for office did not stand for a political party or ticket.[3]
Election schedule
Key dates relating to the general election were as follows:[4]
1 July 2019 | Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts. |
19 July 2019 | Nominations open for candidates. Rolls open for inspection at council offices and other sites locally. |
16 August 2019 | Nominations close at 12:00. Rolls close. |
21 August 2019 | Election date and candidates' names publicised by electoral officers. |
20–25 September 2019 | Voting documents delivered to households. Electors can post the documents back to electoral officers as soon as they have voted. |
12 October 2019 | Polling day — The voting documents must be at the council before voting closes at 12:00. Preliminary results will be available as soon as possible afterwards. |
17–23 October 2019 | Official results declared | |
Results
In Auckland, Phil Goff was re-elected Mayor and at least 16 of the city's 20 councillors retained their seats, with two new councillors winning seats which were vacated by retirement.[5] [6] [7] In Hamilton, incumbent mayor Andrew King lost to Paula Southgate, who previously challenged him in 2016,[8] while four controversial councillors were voted out of office. In Wellington incumbent mayor Justin Lester was unseated by Andy Foster, who received a high-profile endorsement from filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson. The election also marked the first time a Green Party member was elected to serve as a mayor in New Zealand, with Aaron Hawkins being elected Mayor of Dunedin.
According to The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire, the 2019 local elections had the lowest number of candidate nominations relative to the total number of available seats. Of the 572 local body elections held that year, 101 seats and positions were not contested while 235 candidates were elected unopposed.[9]
Mayoral election summary
Regional council chairs
There are sixteen regions for local government purposes. Eleven are administered by regional councils and five are administered by unitary authorities: Auckland, Gisborne, Tasman, Nelson, and Marlborough. In unitary authorities, the local mayor is the head of government. In the remaining regional councils, the elected members vote for their chair and deputy.[45]
Detailed information
Notes and References
- Web site: Local Electoral Act 2001 . . 18 September 2013.
- Web site: Behind the scenes of the companies running the country's local body elections . Stuff (Fairfax) . 17 August 2019.
- Molineaux . Julienne . 2023 . The 2019 local government elections in Aotearoa New Zealand . Regional & Federal Studies . en . 10.1080/13597566.2023.2234295 . 1359-7566. free .
- Web site: About your 2019 local elections.
- Web site: Winners, losers, big losers, and gigantic losers from the 2019 local elections. 13 October 2019.
- News: As it happened: New Zealand local body election results 2019. Newshub. 10 December 2019.
- Web site: Live blog: Results of the 2019 local elections. 12 October 2019 . The Spinoff.
- News: Paula Southgate has won the Hamilton mayoralty. The New Zealand Herald.
- News: Manhire . Toby . Not enough people are standing in local elections . 13 August 2022 . . 10 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220810213743/https://thespinoff.co.nz/local-elections-2022/10-08-2022/not-enough-people-are-standing-for-local-elections . 10 August 2022.
- News: Earley . Melanie . Northland local body election results: Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai wins third term . 14 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019.
- Kaipara District Council . Preliminary local election results for Kaipara District . . . 13 October 2019 . 14 October 2019.
- News: Sandra Goudie retains the top job for Thames-Coromandel . 14 October 2019 . . 14 October 2019.
- News: Hauraki's deputy mayor Toby Adams moves into district's top job . 14 October 2019 . . 14 October 2019.
- Web site: LGE 2019 – Preliminary . Waikato District Council . 16 October 2019.
- News: Leaman . Aaron . Paula Southgate elected Hamilton's new mayor . 14 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Waipa District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for South Waikato District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Waitomo District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Elections 2019 – Preliminary Results . Western Bay of Plenty District Council . 16 October 2019 . 16 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191016181018/https://www.westernbay.govt.nz/council/elections/2019-preliminary-results . dead .
- Web site: Elections 2019 – Results . Whakatāne District Council . 16 October 2019. 2 October 2019 .
- Web site: LGE 2019 – Preliminary . Kawerau District Council . 16 October 2019.
- Web site: Elections . Ōpōtiki District Council . 17 October 2019 . 29 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191029223621/https://www.odc.govt.nz/our-council/elections/Pages/default.aspx . dead .
- News: Landslide win for Mayor Rehette Stoltz . 17 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019 . 15 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191015033852/http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/4327531-135/landslide-win-for-mayor-rehette-stoltz . dead .
- Web site: 2019 Election Results & Expenses . Wairoa District Council . 17 October 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Hastings District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Central Hawkes Bay District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- News: Persico . Christina . Holdom back as mayor in NPDC election preliminary results . 17 October 2019 . . 13 October 2019.
- News: Persico . Christina . 10-year incumbent Stratford mayor re-elected . 17 October 2019 . . 13 October 2019.
- News: Persico . Christina . Phil Nixon wins South Taranaki mayoralty by large margin . 17 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Ruapehu District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Whanganui mayor re-elected unopposed. 21 August 2019. RNZ. en-nz. 21 September 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Rangitikei District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Tararua District Council 2019 Triennial Elections: Declaration of Results . Tararua District Council . 20 October 2019 . 20 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191020085652/https://www.tararuadc.govt.nz/files/assets/public/pdf/your-council/local-elections/2019-local-elections/tararua-district-council-2019-triennial-elections-final-fpp-result.pdf . dead .
- Web site: 2019 Election results . Porirua City Council . 20 October 2019.
- News: The major results from the 2019 local body elections . 14 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019.
- News: Law . Tina . Christchurch mayor Lianne Dalziel holds on for third term . 14 October 2019 . . 12 October 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Selwyn District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- News: Littlewood . Matthew . Timaru's new mayor Nigel Bowen 'elated' to be in top position . 20 October 2019 . . 13 October 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Mackenzie District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Waimate District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Elections 2019 . Chatham Islands Council . 20 October 2019 . 14 October 2019 . 20 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191020090834/https://cic.govt.nz/your-council/elections-2019/ . dead .
- Web site: Final Nominations for Central Otago District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- News: Mayors, councillors confirmed month before local election voting even opens. Preston. Nikki. 20 August 2019. 21 September 2019. en-NZ. 1170-0777.
- Web site: Final Nominations for Gore District Council 2019 Triennial Elections. www.electionz.com. 20 September 2019.
- Web site: Councillors and Mayors . . 23 October 2019.
- Web site: Your Councillors . 23 October 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141021161142/http://www.nrc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Council-business/Your-Councillors/ . 21 October 2014 .
- Web site: Penny Smart to chair new regional council . Northland Regional Council . 29 October 2019.
- News: Piddock . Gerald . Russ Rimmington elected as new Waikato Regional Council chairman . 23 October 2019 . . 23 October 2019.
- News: Leeder reappointed to chair of BOPRC . 23 October 2019 . Sunlive . 22 October 2019.
- Web site: Rex Graham re-elected as HBRC Chair . 30 October 2019 . Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
- Web site: Long-serving TRC Chair back with new deputy . 30 October 2019 . voxy.co.nz.
- News: Galuszka . Jono . Horizons divided as it elects Rachel Keedwell as its chairwoman . 23 October 2019 . . 22 October 2019.
- News: Michael . Forbes . 30 June 2015 . Chris Laidlaw elected new GWRC chairman, rates set at 9.8 per cent . The Dominion Post . 1 July 2015.
- News: Jessica . Long . 30 October 2019 . Daran Ponter promises to fix Wellington's bus system as Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman . . 30 October 2019 .
- News: Day . Louis . ECan chair elected unopposed . 24 October 2019 . . 24 October 2019.
- News: Edwards . Jono . From Labour minister to ORC chairwoman . . 23 October 2019 . 23 October 2019.
- Web site: Regional Council chairman re-elected . 29 October 2019 . Southland Regional Council.