1903 Wellington mayoral election

New Zealand local election November 2016 November 2016 1903 Wellington mayoral election New Zealand Wellington coat of arms (1878-1951) (shield only).svg Presidential no 1902 Wellington mayoral election 1902 1904 Wellington mayoral election 1904 20 April 1903 130px John Aitken Independent politician elected unopposed Mayor John Aitken John Aitken The 1903 Wellington mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1903, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including the fifteen city councillors, elected biannually. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. Background This was the first election following the amalgamation of the Melrose Borough Council into the Wellington City Council following a vote in March 1903. In addition to combining the electoral rolls for the election of mayor, it instituted a ward for the former borough for the term beginning in 1903 to ensure members of the community were elected to the city council.Betts 1970 39 The Wellington Ratepayers' Association had had its organisation become largely moribund following the 1901 election. Despite lacking any regular activity, it advertised a slate of candidates it endorsed for the city council.Betts 1970 96-7https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19030427.2.20 Municipal Elections New Zealand Times 27 April 1903 LXXIV 4949 5 16 September 2025 John Aitken, the incumbent Mayor, sought re-election for a fourth term in office. A large deputation of businessmen visited Aitken and requested he run again offering support and claiming others also wished him to remain in office longer, as evidenced by Aitken being elected to parliament at the 1902 general election.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19030401.2.27 The Mayoralty of Wellington - Deputation to Mr. Aitken The Evening Post 1 April 1903 LXV 77 4 16 September 2025 The next day Aitken stated he had accepted the nomination of the deputation members.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19030402.2.58 The Wellington Mayoralty - Mr. Aitken Decides to Seek Re-election The Evening Post 1 April 1903 LXV 77 4 16 September 2025 The mayor of Melrose, Richard Keene, decided not to run for mayor and only offered himself for election to the Melrose ward of the city council.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZMAIL19030408.2.107 Untitled New Zealand Mail 8 April 1903 1623 49 16 September 2025 The Trade Council voted to nominate a candidate to oppose Aitken. It voted to form a deputation to ask a former mayor, Francis Bell, to accept nomination.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19030403.2.30 The Mayoralty - Mr H. D. Bell to Be Invited to Stand New Zealand Mail 3 April 1903 LXXIV 4930 5 16 September 2025 Ultimately, Aitken retained office unopposed with no other candidates emerging.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZFL19030425.2.31.1 Mayoral Election Free Lance 25 April 1903 III 147 22 11 May 2016 Councillor results Wellington ward 1903 Wellington City Council election, Wellington wardhttp://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZFL19030502.2.22.2 Free Lance 16 Wellington City Council 2 May 1903 11 May 2016 III 148 Wellington Ratepayers' Association George Winder 2,863 93.21 +18.40 Wellington Ratepayers' Association William Barber 2,831 92.18 +15.52 Wellington Ratepayers' Association John Luke 2,826 92.02 +13.36 Wellington Ratepayers' Association William Evans 2,745 89.38 +14.3 Wellington Ratepayers' Association John Smith Jr. 2,677 87.17 +23.32 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Matthew Murdoch 2,610 84.98 +19.52 Wellington Ratepayers' Association James Devine 2,609 84.95 23.89 Independent politician David Nathan 2,568 83.62 +23.32 Wellington Ratepayers' Association George Wiltshire 2,563 83.45 Independent politician Charlie Izard 2,118 68.96 +11.14 Pre 1916 Labour (New Zealand) David McLaren 2,108 68.64 +21.15 Independent politician James Godber 1,953 63.59 +8.19 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Alexander Rand 1,860 60.56 +38.90 Independent politician Robert Tolhurst 1,665 54.21 Independent politician George Anderson 1,417 46.14 +0.35 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Robert Davenport 1,268 41.28 +8.20 Independent politician George Baylis 1,015 33.05 Pre 1916 Labour (New Zealand) William Hampton 990 32.23 Wellington Ratepayers' Association William Worth 905 29.46 Independent politician Allan Orr 799 26.01 -13.92 Independent politician William Grant 756 24.61 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Thomas Orr 609 19.83 Independent politician Vilhelm Jensen 421 13.70 3,514 32.56 -49.67 10,790 Melrose ward 1903 Wellington City Council election, Melrose ward Independent politician Albert Jorgensen 450 51.60 Independent politician George Frost 357 40.94 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Richard Keene 330 37.84 Wellington Ratepayers' Association Arthur Fullford 315 36.12 Wellington Ratepayers' Association James Reid 313 35.89 Independent politician John Brown 289 33.14 Independent politician Colin Campbell Crump 216 24.77 Independent politician Walter Morrah 209 23.96 Independent politician William Brannigan 138 15.82 872 45.96 1,897 References Betts George George Betts (political scientist) Betts on Wellington: A City and its Politics 1970 A. H. & A. W. Reed Ltd. Wellington 0 589 00469 7 Citations autocollapse Category:Mayoral elections in Wellington Category:1903 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Wellington Region Category:April 1903 in Oceania Category:1900s in Wellington