1995 Wellington City mayoral election

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1995 Wellington City mayoral election

← 1992 14 October 1995 1998 →
Turnout58,460 (51.78%)
 
Candidate Mark Blumsky Elizabeth Tennet
Party Independent Labour
Popular vote 25,937 11,470
Percentage 44.36 19.62

Mayor before election

Fran Wilde

Elected Mayor

Mark Blumsky

The 1995 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1995, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background[edit]

Sitting Mayor Fran Wilde retired from the role after just one term which prompted a record thirteen candidates to run for the position. The Labour Party chose Member of Parliament for Island Bay Elizabeth Tennet as its candidate for the election. It was the last time the Labour Party was to field a mayoral candidate until 2016.

The former chairman of the now defunct Wellington Harbour Board Nigel Gould was selected as the Citizens' Association candidate, beating out shoe retailer Mark Blumsky and ratepayer advocate Jack Ruben for the nomination. Blumsky was not dissuaded and immediately declared his candidacy as an independent.[1]

The election saw Mark Blumsky win office as Wellington's Mayor. The 1995 elections also saw the demise of the long established Citizens' Association electoral ticket. Gould finished in a disappointing fourth place for mayor and only four Citizens' endorsed candidates won seats in the council, a record low, prompting the ticket to disband soon after.

Mayoralty results[edit]

The following table gives the election results:

1995 Wellington mayoral election[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Blumsky 25,937 44.36
Labour Elizabeth Tennet 11,470 19.62
Independent Helene Ritchie 4,521 7.73 -9.27
Citizens' Nigel Gould 4,414 7.08
Independent Michael Wall 3,624 6.19
Alliance Phillida Bunkle 3,277 5.60
Green Stephen Rainbow 2,746 4.69 -6.01
Independent Bryan Pepperell 966 0.65
McGillicuddy Serious Ross Gardner 467 0.79
Independent Noel Galvin 426 0.72
Independent Donald Eddie 252 0.43
Private Enterprise Frank Moncur 108 0.18 -0.02
Independent Bruce Harris 104 0.17
Majority 14,467 24.74
Turnout 58,460 51.78 -1.48

Ward results[edit]

Candidates were also elected from wards to the Wellington City Council.[2]

Party/ticket Councillors
Citizens' 4
Greens 3
Labour 2
Ind. Citizens' 2
Alliance 1
Independent 7

References[edit]

  1. ^ Currie, Shayne (22 May 1995). "Gould stands for Mayor". The Evening Post. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b "How You Voted". The Evening Post. 9 October 1995. p. 14.