1986 Christchurch City Council election

September 2025 September 2025 1986 Christchurch City Council election New Zealand Flag of Christchurch.svg Presidential no 1983 Christchurch mayoral election 1983 1989 Christchurch City Council election 1989 11 October 1986 no 150x150px Hamish Hay Citizens' Association DDEEFF 39,239 60.95 100px Alex Clark Labour 22,918 35.60 Mayor Hamish Hay Citizens' Association Hamish Hay Citizens' Association yes no Councillors All 19 seats on the City Council10 seats needed for a majority The 1986 Christchurch City Council election was a local election held from September to 11 October in Christchurch, New Zealand, as part of that year's nation-wide local elections. Voters elected the mayor of Christchurch and 19 city councillors for the 1986–1989 term of the Christchurch City Council. The first-past-the-post voting system was used. Postal voting was used for the first time in Christchurch, and as with councils that had introduced this method earlier, it increased the turnout. Background Waimairi District had introduced postal voting in the 1983 local elections and had a good experience. The cost of running an election had decreased, and voter turnout increased. With the remaining local bodies introducing postal voting, including Christchurch City, the metropolitan Christchurch area now all used the postal voting system. One consequence of the change was that on polling day, the votes had to be with the returning officer by noon, whereas the polling booths had previously been open until 7 pm. Voters received their polling documents from 26 September onwards.Total city cover by postal vote https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860925.2.128.1 28 September 2025 The Press 25 September 1986 29 Residents were asked to contact the electoral officer if they had not received their voting forms by 2 October. Voters had until 10:30 am on Friday, 10 October, to have their envelope in a mailbox for it to delivered to the returning officer by the next day.Postal deadline today for City voters https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19861010.2.17 28 September 2025 The Press 10 October 1986 2 Christchurch City Council administered the election with 40 temporary staff to compile and send out the voting documents, increasing to 240 staff needed on election for counting.Staff busy preparing first postal voting forms https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860918.2.60 28 September 2025 The Press 18 September 1986 9 Mayoral election 1986 Christchurch mayoral election Sitting Mayor Hamish Hay was re-elected for a fifth term with a decreased majority, defeating councillor Alex Clark of the Labour Party, who had likewise lost to Hay in 1977. Ward results Nineteen councillors were elected across five wards, with each ward being represented by four councillors, or three in the case of the West ward. Both the Christchurch Citizens' Association and Labour Party put forward nineteen candidates each for the council.Policies in Chch local election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860924.2.111 28 September 2025 The Press 24 September 1986 18 North ward Four councillors were elected in the North ward. There were eight candidates: four each from the Christchurch Citizens' Association and Labour Party. North ward (4)Declaration of results of elections: Christchurch City 21 October 1986 38 en The Press 28 September 2025 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19861021.2.171.3 PapersPastNorth Ward (Four seats) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860915.2.62.7 28 September 2025 The Press 15 September 1986 7 Christchurch Citizens' Association John Burn* 6,640 Christchurch Citizens' Association Ron Wright* 6,237 Christchurch Citizens' Association Dennis Rich 6,208 New Zealand Labour Party Linda Constable 6,098 New Zealand Labour Party John Gray 5,707 New Zealand Labour Party Doreen Collins 5,669 New Zealand Labour Party Susan Sotheran 5,571 Christchurch Citizens' Association Doug Irving 5,466 452 South ward Four councillors were elected in the South ward. There were nine candidates: four each from the Christchurch Citizens' Association and Labour Party, plus a perennial candidate, Michael Hansen (later known as Tubby Hansen). Louise Moore, who stood for the Labour Party, was the only incumbent councillor across all wards who failed to get re-elected. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19861013.2.6 The Press 1 Sir Hamish 'survives' 13 October 1986 28 September 2025 PapersPast South ward (4)North Ward (Four seats) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860915.2.142.3 28 September 2025 The Press 15 September 1986 28 Christchurch Citizens' Association Morgan Fahey* 7,604 New Zealand Labour Party Alex Clark* 7,205 New Zealand Labour Party Alister James* 6,310 New Zealand Labour Party Ruby Fowler* 6,224 New Zealand Labour Party Maevis Watson 5,998 Christchurch Citizens' Association Louise Moore* 5,399 Christchurch Citizens' Association Veronica Pyle 4,945 Christchurch Citizens' Association Roy Price 4,711 Euthenics Michael Hansen 790 219 West ward Three councillors were elected in the West ward. There were eight candidates: three each from the Christchurch Citizens' Association and Labour Party, plus two independents running under the banner of Ratepayers' Protection. West ward (3)West Ward (Three seats) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860915.2.62.6 28 September 2025 The Press 15 September 1986 7 Christchurch Citizens' Association Maurice Carter* 5,848 Christchurch Citizens' Association Carole Evans 5,361 Christchurch Citizens' Association Ron Wilton 4,705 New Zealand Labour Party Hine Conner 2,378 New Zealand Labour Party Trevor Warr 2,176 New Zealand Labour Party Bruce Dyer 2,101 Ratepayers' John Thacker 2,089 Ratepayers' Kim Pettengell 2,070 295 East ward Four councillors were elected in the East ward. There were ten candidates: four each from the Christchurch Citizens' Association and Labour Party, plus two independents running under the banner of Ratepayers' Protection. East ward (4)East Ward (Four seats) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860915.2.62.6 28 September 2025 The Press 15 September 1986 7 Christchurch Citizens' Association Rex Arbuckle* 7,277 Christchurch Citizens' Association Clive Cotton* 6,739 New Zealand Labour Party Charles Manning 6,491 Christchurch Citizens' Association David Cox 5,818 New Zealand Labour Party Denis O'Rourke 5,606 New Zealand Labour Party Peter Dyhrberg 5,477 Christchurch Citizens' Association Jim McMillan 5,307 New Zealand Labour Party Brian Johnson 5,156 Ratepayers' Ann Lewis 3,409 Ratepayers' Peter Foster 2,910 288 Pegasus ward Four councillors were elected in the Pegasus ward. There were eight candidates: four each from the Citizens' Association and Labour Party. Pegasus ward (4)North Ward (Four seats) https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19860915.2.62.7 28 September 2025 The Press 15 September 1986 7 New Zealand Labour Party Vicki Buck* 9,494 New Zealand Labour Party David Close* 8.044 New Zealand Labour Party Noala Massey* 7,380 New Zealand Labour Party Hori Brennan 5,644 Christchurch Citizens' Association Bob Andrews 5,331 Christchurch Citizens' Association Bill Morgan 4,743 Christchurch Citizens' Association Shirley Perriton 4,742 Christchurch Citizens' Association Jeannettte Hoogerwerf 4,291 223 Ward summary 1986CC-Council "wikitable" +Christchurch city councillors elected ! Ward ! colspan="2" Party ! Elected - rowspan="4" North Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" John Burn* - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Ron Wright - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Dennis Rich - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Linda Constable - rowspan="4" South Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Morgan Fahey* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Alex Clark* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Alister James* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Ruby Fowler* - rowspan="3" West Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Maurice Carter* - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Carole Evans - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Ron Wilton - rowspan="4" East Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Rex Arbuckle* - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" Clive Cotton* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Charles Manning - Christchurch Citizens' Association Citizens colspan="2" David Cox - rowspan="4" Pegasus New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Vicki Buck* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" David Close* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Noala Massey* - New Zealand Labour Party Labour colspan="2" Hori Brennan } Footnotes: * denotes incumbents Aftermath Seven councillors were new to the city council. The town clerk summed the election result up as "no change". Hamish Hay remained mayor, and his Citizens' Association had a ten councillors compared to nine from the Labour Party. That mirrored the majority after the 1983 local election. The Christchurch Ratepayers' Protection Committee had arisen from the 1985 rates revolt, but their four candidates came last in the wards they stood.Forrester Kay Citizens retain control of Chch City Council https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19861013.2.13 28 September 2025 The Press 13 October 1986 2 Maurice Carter remained the deputy mayor; he had been on the city council since the 1956 local elections.Deputy Mayor https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19861113.2.12 28 September 2025 The Press 13 November 1986 1 References Christchurch Christchurch Category:1980s in Christchurch Christchurch