2019 Hamilton mayoral election

The 2019 Hamilton City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections and was held on 12 October 2019 to determine the Mayor of Hamilton.

2019 Hamilton mayoral election
12 October 2019
 
Candidate Paula Southgate Andrew King
Party Independent lovehamilton
Popular vote 13,452 10,315
Percentage 33.74 25.87
Mayor before election

Andrew King

 Elected Mayor

Paula Southgate

Key dates

Key dates for the election are:[1]

  • 1 July: Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts.
  • 19 July: Nominations open for candidates. Rolls open for inspection.
  • 16 August: Nominations close at 12 noon. Rolls close.
  • 21 August: Election date and candidates' names announced.
  • 20 to 25 September: Voting documents delivered to households. Electors can post the documents back to electoral officers as soon as they have voted.
  • 12 October: Polling day. Voting documents must be at council before voting closes at 12 noon. Preliminary results will be available as soon as all ordinary votes are counted.
  • 17 to 23 October: Official results, including all valid ordinary and special votes, declared.

Candidates

Declared candidates

Declined to be candidates

Endorsements

Louise Hutt was endorsed by Organise Aotearoa after surveying all the candidates.[8]

Campaign

The Employers and Manufacturers Association hosted a debate at Wintec on 4 September 2019. Hutt, King, O'Leary, Southgate and West attended.[9] Another debate was held on 11 September 2019 at the event centre in Claudelands.[10]

Paula Southgate was motivated to re-apply for mayoralty, after missing out in the previous election by only seven votes. Southgate claimed that it is easy for mayoral candidates to make lavish promises but that at the council table, they're only one voice. Gielen's broom symbolized a claimed need for a clean sweep of council, while the colourful head attire was to represent an inclusive community.[11]

A Waikato Chamber of Commerce and Waikato Times poll conducted on 2 October found Southgate with 20.4% support, King with 14.1%, O'Leary with 13.7%, Casson with 3.1%, West on 3.0%, Hutt with 1.8%, Lewis with 1.5% and Gielen with 0.8%. Undecided voters made up 41.5% of respondents.[12]

Results
2019 Hamilton mayoral election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Paula Southgate 13,452 33.74 +7.18
lovehamilton Andrew King 10,315 25.87 -0.70
Independent Angela O'Leary 7,870 19.74 —
Independent Louise Hutt 2,623 6.58 —
None Mike West 2,134 5.35 —
Independent James Casson 1,996 5.01 -7.89
Independent Lisa Lewis 1,103 2.77 —
Families4Justice Jack Gielen 375 0.94 -0.45
Total valid votes 39,868 99.63
Informal votes 147 0.37 +0.03
Majority 3,137 7.87 +7.89
Turnout 40,015 38.96
Registered electors 102,714

References
  1. "Race for the mayoralty: What you need to know". Radio NZ. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. "Councillor Paula Southgate joins Hamilton mayoralty race". 29 March 2019.
  3. "Hamilton City Council election candidates announced". 17 August 2019.
  4. "Hamilton mayoralty candidate calls millennials to action". 17 May 2019.
  5. "Hamilton Mayor Andrew King goes for second term, sets up showdown for the city". 8 January 2019.
  6. "High-profile Kiwi sex worker Lisa Lewis launches Hamilton mayoralty campaign". 3 June 2019.
  7. "Cr Angela O'Leary takes election challenge to Hamilton Mayor". 16 January 2019.
  8. "Hamilton mayoral election 2019 answers". Organise Aotearoa. Organise Aotearoa. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  9. Leaman, Aaron (5 September 2019). "EMA-hosted debate draws out differences between Hamilton's mayoral hopefuls". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019.
  10. Top four emerge from a crowded field during Hamilton mayoral debate
  11. Hamilton mayoral candidates Paula Southgate, Jack Gielen make their soapbox pitch
  12. Leaman, Aaron (5 October 2019). "Paula Southgate tipped to win Hamilton mayoralty, undecided voters hold balance". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  13. "Final results". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
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