1953 Wellington City mayoral election

The 1953 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1953, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

1953 Wellington City mayoral election

31 October 1953
Turnout44,700 (65.19%)
 
Candidate Robert Macalister Frank Kitts
Party Citizens' Labour
Popular vote 21,809 20,094
Percentage 48.78 44.95

Mayor before election

Robert Macalister

Elected Mayor

Robert Macalister

Campaign

The mayoral contest was essentially a rematch from three years previously with incumbent mayor Robert Macalister opposed by councillor Frank Kitts of the Labour Party. A third candidate, Julius Hyde, stood as an independent campaigning on his opposition to the construction of an international airport in Wellington.

A major talking point in the lead up to the election was the potential of a clash with the 1953 Royal Tour.[1] There were proposals to postpone local elections until early 1954 over fears of reduced turnout due to a conflicted schedule. The proposals were considered by the Minister of Internal Affairs William Bodkin, who ultimately decided against it.[2]

Mayoralty results

1953 Wellington mayoral election[3][4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Citizens' Robert Macalister 21,809 48.78 -3.24
Labour Frank Kitts 20,094 44.95 -1.85
Independent Julius Hyde 2,410 5.39
Informal votes 387 0.86 -0.32
Majority 1,715 3.83 -1.37
Turnout 44,700 65.19 +33.44

Councillor results

1953 Wellington local election[3][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Kitts 23,041 51.54 +4.93
Citizens' Ken Luke 22,993 51.43
Citizens' Stewart Hardy 21,323 47.70 +4.81
Citizens' William Arcus 20,731 46.37
Citizens' Ernest Toop 20,446 45.74 -0.77
Citizens' Robert Archibald 20,052 44.85
Citizens' Barry Barton-Ginger 19,880 44.47
Labour James Roberts 19,771 44.23 +3.92
Labour John Churchill 19,547 43.72 +2.42
Labour Jim Bateman 18,709 41.85 +4.08
Citizens' Berkeley Dallard 18,608 41.62 +1.88
Citizens' Harry Nankervis 18,089 40.46 -2.41
Citizens' Denis McGrath 17,442 39.02 -0.98
Labour John Arthurs 17,200 38.47 -1.38
Labour Mervyn Castle 16,995 38.02 -12.42
Citizens' Harry Daysh 16,950 37.91
Labour George O'Leary 16,643 37.23
Citizens' William Birtwhistle 16,386 36.65 -4.99
Labour Jim Collins 16,383 36.64
Labour Ernie Langford 16,255 36.36
Labour Hugh Kelleher 16,207 36.25
Labour Frank O'Flynn 16,192 36.22 +0.69
Labour James Hickey[nb 1] 15,917 35.60
Independent Elizabeth Gilmer 15,848 35.45 -18.19
Citizens' William Stevens 15,704 35.13 -5.21
Citizens' Robert Burton 15,640 34.98
Labour William Sadd 15,414 34.48 -5.63
Citizens' Charles Treadwell 15,392 34.43 -12.97
Labour Ethel Harris 15,209 34.02 -4.03
Citizens' Gilbert Lawrence 14,886 33.30
Labour Edward Hodgkinson 14,865 33.25
Independent Gilbert MacLean 13,267 29.68
Independent William Bacon 8,249 18.45 -0.66
Independent James Duncan 7,941 17.76
Independent Leslie Austin 6,612 14.79 +0.05
Independent George Joseph 6,519 14.58
Independent Ernest Killick 5,336 11.93
Communist Donald Austin 4,009 8.96
Communist Connie Birchfield 2,299 5.14 +0.02
Communist William Hunter 2,005 4.48 -0.43
Communist Dorothy Stanton 1,791 4.00 +0.34
Communist Edward Harvey 1,700 3.80
Communist Kenneth Stanton 1,504 3.54 +0.33
Communist Sydney Smith 1,369 3.06
Communist Thomas Heptinstall 1,134 2.53
Communist Ray Nunes 1,128 2.52 -0.03

Table footnotes:

  1. Hickey had been co-opted to the council in April 1953 from the Johnsonville Town Board

References

  1. "Move to Postpone Next Municipal Elections". The Evening Post. 18 October 1952.
  2. "Local Elections Date Fixed". The Evening Post. 28 January 1953.
  3. Coppin, William Stanley (11 November 1953). Declaration of Election Results (Report). Wellington City Council.
  4. "Majority for Mr. Macalister increased by 303". The Evening Post. 12 November 1953.
  5. "Details of Polling". The Evening Post. 2 November 1953.
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