1944 Wellington mayoral election

New Zealand local election July 2025 November 2016 1944 Wellington mayoral election New Zealand Wellington coat of arms (1878-1951) (shield only).svg Presidential no 1941 Wellington mayoral election 1941 1947 Wellington mayoral election 1947 27 May 1944 50,841 (58.87%) 125x150px Will Appleton Wellington Citizens' Association 29,899 58.80 125x150px James Roberts New Zealand Labour Party 20,323 39.99 Mayor Thomas Hislop Will Appleton The 1944 Wellington mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1944, election were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. The incumbent Mayor, Thomas Hislop did not stand for another term. Instead, Will Appleton stood as the candidate for the Citizens' Association. Trade unionist James Roberts who was the President of the Labour Party was his Party's candidate. Background Citizens' Three members of the Citizens' Association were nominated for the mayoralty:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19440202.2.24 Wellington Mayoralty – Mr Hislop Secures Citizens' Nomination Otago Daily Times 2 February 1944 25449 4 Will Appleton, city councillor since 1931 and chairman of the council Works Committee Thomas Hislop, the Mayor of Wellington since 1931 William Gaudin, city councillor since 1927 and chairman of the council Libraries Committee Despite the open challenge to him Hislop (who had been mayor for 13 years) was again selected by a ballot of the Citizens' Electoral Committee. Appleton said he would stand for mayor as an independent despite not being granted the Citizens' nomination in pursuance of a promise he gave to a deputation of over 100 people who implored him to stand. This caused concern for the Citizens' Association of vote splitting and a repeat of the 1912 election where competing centre-right candidates allowed a Labour mayor to be elected. Declining arbitration, Appleton got his wish after discussions when Hislop (albeit reluctantly) agreed to stand aside in the interests of unity.Betts 1970 180 Labour The Labour Party had five people nominated for the mayoralty:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440212.2.36 The Mayoralty – Labour Ticket The Evening Post 12 February 1944 CXXXVII 36 6 Peter Butler, secretary of the Wellington General Labourers' Union and former city councillor (1933–41) Charles Chapman, MP for Wellington North since 1928 and ex-city councillor (1919–25, 1929–41) Harry Combs, MP for Wellington Suburbs since 1938 Robert McKeen, MP for Wellington South since 1922 and former city councillor (1925–41) James Roberts, the President of the Labour Party since 1937 McKeen and later Combs declined nomination and withdrew from the process. At a selection meeting 87 delegates, representing approximately 30,000 members, selected Roberts ahead of Butler and Chapman in an exhaustive ballot.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440302.2.84 The Mayoralty – Labour Candidate The Evening Post 2 March 1944 CXXXVII 52 6 The Communist Party did not contest the mayoralty and decided to endorse Roberts stating the party supported the election of a Labour mayor.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440429.2.60 Civic Elections – Communist Policy The Evening Post 29 April 1944 CXXXVII 100 8 Mayoralty results 1944 Wellington mayoral electionhttps://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440608.2.105 The Evening Post 7 City Elections 8 June 1944 15 October 2018 CXXXVII 134 Wellington Citizens' Association Will Appleton 29,899 58.80 New Zealand Labour Party James Roberts 20,323 39.99 619 1.21 +0.38 9,576 18.83 50,841 58.87 +7.36 Councillor results 1944 Wellington City Council electionhttps://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19440529.2.84.3 The Evening Post 7 The City Council 29 May 1944 29 October 2016 CXXXII 125 Wellington Citizens' Association Elizabeth Gilmer 29,785 59.36 +0.20 Wellington Citizens' Association Robert Wright 29,413 58.62 -3.86 Wellington Citizens' Association Malcolm Fraser 28,998 57.79 -0.92 Wellington Citizens' Association William Gaudin 27,816 55.44 -2.11 Wellington Citizens' Association Martin Luckie 27,757 55.32 -2.93 Wellington Citizens' Association Robert Macalister 27,120 54.05 -1.23 Wellington Citizens' Association Frederick Furkert 27,068 53.94 +0.46 Wellington Citizens' Association Bryan Todd 26,609 53.03 -1.35 Wellington Citizens' Association Malcolm Galloway 26,578 52.97 Wellington Citizens' Association George Amos 26,101 52.02 Wellington Citizens' Association Ernest Toop 25,441 50.70 Wellington Citizens' Association Len Jacobsen 25,101 50.02 Wellington Citizens' Association Sandy Pope 25,046 49.91 Wellington Citizens' Association William Stevens 24,192 48.21 -0.10 Wellington Citizens' Association James Sievwright 23,823 47.48 -0.91 New Zealand Labour Party Charles Chapman 20,857 41.57 +3.62 New Zealand Labour Party John Churchill 19,320 38.50 New Zealand Labour Party Roy Holland 19,224 38.31 +6.90 New Zealand Labour Party Tom Brindle 18,594 37.05 +2.46 New Zealand Labour Party Lettie Allen 18,102 36.07 New Zealand Labour Party John Fleming 18,023 35.92 +7.62 New Zealand Labour Party Andrew Parlane 17,627 35.13 +4.21 New Zealand Labour Party Jack Arthurs 17,186 34.25 New Zealand Labour Party Reg Stillwell 16,890 33.66 New Zealand Labour Party Percival Hansen 16,779 33.44 +7.26 New Zealand Labour Party Toby Hill 16,701 33.28 New Zealand Labour Party Caryll Hay 16,381 32.64 New Zealand Labour Party Catherine Stewart 16,243 32.37 +0.45 New Zealand Labour Party Ethel Harris 16,191 32.27 New Zealand Labour Party George Mathew 14,430 28.76 Communist Party of New Zealand Harold Silverstone 9,765 19.46 Independent politician Amy Kane 9,583 19.09 Independent politician Arthur Carman 5,543 11.04 +3.86 Independent politician John Parry 4,785 9.53 Notes 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 autocollapse Category:Mayoral elections in Wellington Category:1944 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Wellington Region Category:1940s in Wellington Category:May 1944 in Oceania