1974 Lower Hutt mayoral election explained

Election Name:1974 Lower Hutt mayoral election
Country:New Zealand
Flag Image:Lower Hutt COA.jpg
Type:Presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1971 Lower Hutt mayoral election
Previous Year:1971
Next Election:1977 Lower Hutt mayoral election
Next Year:1977
Election Date:12 October 1974
Turnout:19,461 (47.94%)
Candidate1:John Kennedy-Good
Party1:Lower Hutt Citizens' Association
Popular Vote1:11,136
Percentage1:57.22
Candidate2:John Seddon
Party2:New Zealand Labour Party
Popular Vote2:8,098
Percentage2:41.62
Mayor
Before Election:John Kennedy-Good
After Election:John Kennedy-Good

The 1974 Lower Hutt mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The elections were held for the role of Mayor of Lower Hutt plus other local government positions including sixteen city councillors, also elected triennially. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background

The incumbent Mayor, John Kennedy-Good, stood for a third term. The Citizens' Association had mended its relationship with Kennedy-Good in 1973 and his combined ticket from the previous election had merged back in to the Citizens' Association ticket. The renewed unity helped Kennedy-Good to win a much increased majority against his only challenger, deputy mayor John Seddon, and also for the Citizens' to win a large council majority, where Labour previously held a plurality of seats.[1]

This was the first election in the city after the voting age had been lowered from 20 to 18. Few 18 and 19 year-olds actually voted in the election however and the few that did had come to polling stations together with a parent. According to the chief returning officer the average age of voters at the election was 50.[2]

Councillor results

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References

Notes and References

  1. News: Lower Hutt's Mayor Will Have Majority On Council . . 14 October 1974 . 2 .
  2. News: Few Teenagers Voted in Hutt Valley Local Body Elections . . 22 October 1974 . 24 .