1959 Christchurch mayoral election explained

Election Name:1959 Christchurch mayoral election
Country:New Zealand
Type:Presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1958 Christchurch mayoral by-election
Previous Year:1958
Next Election:1962 Christchurch mayoral election
Next Year:1962
Election Date:21 November 1959
Turnout:30,108 (32.47%)
Party Name:no
Candidate1:George Manning
Party1:Labour
Popular Vote1:15,635
Percentage1:51.92
Candidate2:Harold Smith
Party2:Citizens'
Color2:DDEEFF
Popular Vote2:14,197
Percentage2:47.15
Mayor
Before Election:George Manning
After Election:George Manning

The 1959 Christchurch mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1959, election were held for the Mayor of Christchurch plus other local government positions. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background

Sitting mayor George Manning was re-elected for a full term, with a decreased majority, opposed only by Harold Smith of the Citizens' Association. Smith was successful in winning a seat on the council and was appointed deputy mayor.[1] The Citizens' Association won every council seat leaving Manning (who was also elected to the Harbour Board) as the only Labour Party elected representative in Christchurch.[2] The overall anti-Labour vote (which was consistent nationwide) was attributed to the unpopularity of the then Labour government.[3] Prime Minister Walter Nash commented simply "We seem to have held the mayoralties" in reference that in Christchurch (as well as in Wellington and Lower Hutt) Labour mayors were re-elected despite voters electing majority centre-right councils.[4]

Mayoralty results

The following table gives the election results:

Councillor results

Councillors were elected at large and 19 positions were available. All councillors were from the Citizens' ticket.

Table footnotes:

Notes and References

  1. News: Mayors Opponent To Become Deputy-Mayor . . XCVIII . 29059 . 23 November 1959 . 14 .
  2. News: Mayoral Poll – Mr Manning Succeeds . . XCVIII . 29059 . 23 November 1959 . 14 .
  3. News: Anti-Labour Trend Was General . . 23 November 1959 . 10 .
  4. News: Have Held the Mayoralties—P.M. . . 23 November 1959 . 10 .