1921 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election

none September 2025 July 2024 1921 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election New Zealand Presidential no 1921 Lower Hutt mayoral election 1921 1923 Lower Hutt mayoral election 1923 21 December 1921 2,189 (60.80%) 150x150px Will Strand Independent politician 1,265 57.78 150x150px Percy Rishworth Independent politician 906 41.39 Mayor Percy Rishworth Will Strand The 1921 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, Percy Rishworth, just eight months after he had been re-elected for a third term. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. Background Percy Rishworth had been Mayor of Lower Hutt since 1918 after the previous mayor, Henry Baldwin, resigned.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19180427.2.50 Lower Hutt Mayoralty – Mr. E. P. Rishworth Unopposed The Evening Post 27 April 1918 XCV 100 8 His tenure included coordinating the council's response to the Spanish flu epidemic and his response was praised. Consequently, he was unopposed at the next two mayoral elections.McGill 1991 144 In 1921 Rishworth had a disagreement with the Ratepayers' Association and some of the councillors over the erection of a gasworks in Lower Hutt as an alternative to continue paying for the use of the gasworks in neighbouring Petone. The public were supportive of a new gasworks and voted in favour of erecting one in a plebiscite. However the Ratepayers' Association remained opposed it. Councillor Will Strand made a speech in December 1921 to the Ratepayers' Association accusing Rishworth of a 'breach of faith' which was later leaked to reporters and published by local newspapers. At the next scheduled meeting of the council Rishworth addressed the matter and issued a challenge to Strand to resign along with himself and contest an election for mayor.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19211129.2.38 Hutt Gasworks The New Zealand Times 29 November 1921 XLVIII 11070 5 Strand accepted the challenge and the two contested the mayoralty. The election proceeded to resolve itself into one of supporters of the erection of a gasworks and those against it backing Rishworth and Strand respectively.September 2025 Result 1921 Lower Hutt mayoral by-electionhttps://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19211222.2.7.9 Extraordinary Election of Mayor, 21st December 1921 The Evening Post 22 December 1921 CII 150 2 Independent politician Will Strand 1,265 57.78 Independent politician Percy Rishworth 906 41.39 18 0.83 359 16.40 2,189 60.80 As Strand resigned his council seat to stand for the mayoralty he triggered a second by-election for one council seat. A further poll was avoided as Allan Macaskill was the only candidate nominated so was elected unopposed.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19211216.2.14.2 Lower Hutt Borough Council − Extraordinary Election of Councillor New Zealand Times XLVIII 11085 16 December 1921 3 Notes References Millar David P. Once Upon a Village: A History of Lower Hutt 1819-1965 1972 New Zealand University Press & LHCC Lower Hutt 154232923 McGill David Lower Hutt – The First Garden City Lower Hutt City Council 1991 Petone, New Zealand 1-86956-003-5 Category:Mayoral elections in Lower Hutt Category:1921 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Wellington Region