| Election Name: | 1986 Dunedin mayoral election |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Flag Image: | Dunedin city coa.gif |
| Type: | Presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1983 Dunedin mayoral election |
| Previous Year: | 1983 |
| Next Election: | 1989 Dunedin mayoral election |
| Next Year: | 1989 |
| Election Date: | 11 October 1986 |
| Turnout: | 25,660 |
| Party Name: | no |
| Candidate1: | Cliff Skeggs |
| Party1: | Independent |
| Popular Vote1: | 12,871 |
| Percentage1: | 50.15 |
| Candidate2: | Steve Alexander |
| Party2: | Labour |
| Popular Vote2: | 7,064 |
| Percentage2: | 27.52 |
| Candidate3: | Bill Christie |
| Party3: | Citizens' |
| Color3: | 6495ED |
| Popular Vote3: | 5,277 |
| Percentage3: | 20.56 |
| Mayor | |
| Before Election: | Cliff Skeggs |
| After Election: | Cliff Skeggs |
The 1986 Dunedin mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1986, elections were held for the Mayor of Dunedin plus other local government positions,including twelve city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.
Mayor Cliff Skeggs was re-elected for a record fourth term. Skeggs split from the Citizens' ticket but was re-elected as an independent candidate. Councillor Bill Christie stood as the official Citizens' candidate, polling third, with Labour's Steve Alexander placing second.
Electoral reforms were implemented at the 1986 municipal elections, the method of electing councillors at large which had been used for decades was replaced with a ward system of local electoral districts.[1]
The following table shows the results for the election:
Cliff Skeggs polled the highest in all four of Dunedin's electoral wards.
| Wards won by Skeggs |
| Cliff Skeggs | Steve Alexander | Bill Christie | Others | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward | % | % | % | % | |||||||
| Central | 3,052 | 51.01 | 1,620 | 27.07 | 1,216 | 20.32 | 95 | 1.58 | 5,983 | ||
| East | 3,409 | 51.17 | 1,793 | 26.91 | 1,357 | 20.37 | 102 | 1.53 | 6,661 | ||
| North | 3,201 | 44.56 | 2,268 | 31.57 | 1,521 | 21.17 | 192 | 2.67 | 7,182 | ||
| West | 2,728 | 56.01 | 1,163 | 23.88 | 932 | 19.13 | 47 | 0.96 | 4,870 | ||
| Total | data-sort-value="Z" | 12,871 | 50.15 | 7,064 | 27.52 | 5,277 | 20.56 | 448 | 1.73 | 25,660 |
Candidates were also elected from wards to the Dunedin City Council.[2]
| Party/ticket | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizens' | 7 | ||
| 4 | |||
| 1 |