1989 Wellington mayoral election

New Zealand local election January 2018 January 2018 1989 Wellington mayoral election New Zealand Flag of Wellington.svg Presidential no 1986 Wellington mayoral election 1986 1992 Wellington mayoral election 1992 14 October 1989 52,588 (49.94%) 150x150px Jim Belich New Zealand Labour Party 15,198 28.90 150x150px Helene Ritchie Independent politician 14,266 27.12 150x150px Rex Nicholls Wellington Citizens' Association 14,183 26.97 Mayor Jim Belich New Zealand Labour Party Jim Belich New Zealand Labour Party The 1989 Wellington mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1989, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including twenty-one city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. Background 1989 New Zealand local government reforms The 1989 local elections were the first following a major overhaul of local government in New Zealand. The existing Wellington City Council remained in place but greatly expanded, absorbing several of the neighbouring authorities including the Tawa Borough Council and land on the waterfront formerly in the possession of the Wellington Harbour Board. This was the first local election in Wellington to allow postal voting, though polling booths were still available for use.Local body voting starts — by post The Dominion 25 September 1989 The race for the mayoralty was bitterly fought with both sides of local politics in Wellington fighting internal divisions as well as each other. Mayor Jim Belich stood for a second term opposed by his former deputy Helene Ritchie who had left Labour after she was removed as deputy-mayor the previous year. The Citizens' Association also had rival candidates running against each other with Rex Nicholls running as the officially endorsed candidate with former Citizens' leader on the council David Bull and ex-councillor Roger Ridley-Smith running as an independent candidates after losing the nomination to Nicholls. As such, the race was characterised by vote splitting and provided a very closely spread result.Naylor Shani The Evening Post Dumped Team Captains Seek Voter Vindication 5 October 1989 Moran Paul The Evening Post Bull quits Citizens' team after losing candidacy 1 June 1989 Actor Kevin Woodill, who played the role of William Hobson in Depot Theatre's production of Pigeon English, sought to stand for mayor as "William Hobson" in protest of local body amalgamation.Pigeon English hatches new mayoral candidate The Evening Post 16 August 1989 However he was unable to stand as an alias could not be used on a ballot paper, though they could campaign under whatever name they liked.Ruled out The Evening Post 18 August 1989 The council vote was likewise indecisive with no one group having control of the council. The Labour Party had lost its majority from three years earlier with the Citizens' Association winning a plurality and becoming the largest group on the council. 1989 also saw the emergence of the Green Party which won a seat on the council, the first third party to do so since 1977. Stephen Rainbow won a seat in the Lambton Ward and became the country's first ever Green councillor.Zatorski Lidia Green Rainbow could be on Blues party list The Evening Post 7 April 1999 3 Mayoralty results The following table gives the election results: 1989 Wellington mayoral electionBly Ross A. 25 October 1989 Declaration of Election Results Wellington City Council The Evening Post Declaration of Result of Election 27 October 1989 New Zealand Labour Party Jim Belich 15,198 28.90 -21.68 Independent politician Helene Ritchie 14,266 27.12 Wellington Citizens' Association Rex Nicholls 14,183 26.97 Independent Citizens' #DDEEFF David Bull 4,372 8.31 Independent politician Roger Ridley-Smith 1,963 3.73 McGillicuddy Serious Party John Morrison 1,015 1.93 Private Enterprise #43A2FF Frank Moncur 200 0.38 -0.29 1,391 2.64 -1.86 932 1.77 -4.53 52,588 49.94 +8.17 Results by ward Rex Nicholls polled the highest in three of the seven of Wellington's electoral wards while Jim Belich and Helene Ritchie each polled the highest in two. Wards won by BelichWards won by RitchieWards won by Nicholls Jim Belich Helene Ritchie Rex Nicholls Others Total Ward # % # % # % # % #Eastern 3,290 30.3 2,944 27.1 3,122 28.8 1,500 13.9 10,856Lambton 1,925 32.0 1,496 24.9 1,836 30.5 757 12.6 6,014Northern 1,814 25.6 2,292 32.4 1,354 19.1 1,619 22.8 7,079Onslow 1,658 28.8 1,137 19.8 1,786 31.1 1,186 20.6 5,747Tawa 1,059 21.2 1,301 26.1 1,309 26.3 1,306 26.2 4,975Southern 2,948 32.1 3,006 32.7 2,044 22.2 1,195 13.1 9,193Western 2,504 28.7 2,090 24.0 2,732 31.4 1,378 15.8 8,704Total 15,198 28.9 14,266 27.1 14,183 26.9 7,550 14.3 52,588 Ward results 1989 Wellington City local elections Candidates were also elected from wards to the Wellington City Council. Party/ticket Councillors Citizens' 9 Labour 7 Greens 1 Independent 4 References autocollapse Category:Mayoral elections in Wellington Category:1989 New Zealand local elections Category:Politics of the Wellington Region