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1952 Tauranga mayoral by-election

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1952 Tauranga mayoral by-election
← 1950 18 October 1952 1953 →
Turnout2,486
 
Candidate Lionel Wilkinson Frederick Christian Lionel Lees
Party Independent Independent Independent
Popular vote 985 838 663
Percentage 39.63 33.71 26.66

Mayor before election

Bill Barnard

Elected mayor

Lionel Wilkinson

The 1952 Tauranga mayoral by-election was held to elect a successor to Bill Barnard who resigned as Mayor of Tauranga owing to ill-health. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background

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Mayor Bill Barnard announced at a meeting of the Tauranga Borough Council on 16 July 1952 of his intention of resigning from his position on 1 August that year. He stated that the workload of his mayoral duties combined with those of his legal practice had begun to negatively affect his health.[1] Three candidates put themselves forward for the now vacated position. Councillors Frederick Newham Christian and Lionel Deacon Lees, as well as former mayor Lionel Wilkinson (who was defeated by Barnard in 1950) stood in the by-election.

Results

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The following table gives the election results:

1952 Tauranga mayoral by-election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Lionel Wilkinson 985 39.63
Independent Frederick Christian 838 33.71
Independent Lionel Lees 663 26.66
Majority 147 5.91
Turnout 2,486

References

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  1. ^ "Personal Items". The Press. Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 26786. 18 July 1952. p. 6.
  2. ^ "Tauranga's Mayor − Mr Wilkinson Increases Majority". The Press. Vol. LXXXVIII, no. 26868. 22 October 1952. p. 6.