The 2019 New Zealand local elections (Māori: Nga Pōtitanga ā-Rohe 2019) were triennial elections held in New Zealand on Saturday 12 October 2019.
Election schedule
Key dates relating to the general election were as follows:[1]
1 July 2019
Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts.
19 July 2019
Nominations open for candidates. Rolls open for inspection at council offices and other sites locally.
16 August 2019
Nominations close at 12:00. Rolls close.
21 August 2019
Election date and candidates' names publicised by electoral officers.
20–25 September 2019
Voting documents delivered to households. Electors can post the documents back to electoral officers as soon as they have voted.
12 October 2019
Polling day — The voting documents must be at the council before voting closes at 12:00. Preliminary results will be available as soon as possible afterwards.
17–23 October 2019
Official results declared
Results
In Auckland, Phil Goff was re-elected Mayor and at least 16 of the city's 20 councillors retained their seats, with two new councillors winning seats which were vacated by retirement.[2][3][4] In Hamilton, incumbent mayor Andrew King lost to Paula Southgate, who previously challenged him in 2016,[5] while four controversial councillors were voted out of office.[4] In Wellington incumbent mayor Justin Lester was unseated by Andy Foster, who received a high-profile endorsement from filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson.[2][3][4] The election also marked the first time a Green Party member was elected to serve as a mayor in New Zealand, with Aaron Hawkins being elected Mayor of Dunedin.[2][3][4]
According to The Spinoff's editor Toby Manhire, the 2019 local elections had the lowest number of candidate nominations relative to the total number of available seats. Of the 572 local body elections held that year, 101 seats and positions were not contested while 235 candidates were elected unopposed.[6]
Elections
Regional councils
The regions of New Zealand are governed by regional councils as the first tier of local government.
Unitary authorities are local government entities that have the powers of both a territorial authority and those of a regional council. There are currently five unitary authorities.
The Chatham Islands have a unique, separately-legislated council that has almost all the powers of a unitary authority.
^ abcToby Manhire of The Spinoff characterised their leaning as such.[87]
^Was campaign manager for Labour MP Kieran McAnulty[92]
^They were an anti-Ardernist, and held various conservative beliefs. "Smith, described once as “New Zealand’s Donald Trump”"[93]
^Shadbolt was a radical protester in his early life, and a "believer in socialism." He has stood for parliament as a candidate for both New Zealand First and the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party.[94]
Community boards
Elections were also held for community boards, which have been set up by several of the territorial authorities under Part 4 of the Local Government Act 2002 to represent the interests of particular communities within those territories.
These were the last elections held for the DHBs before they were disestablished on 1 July 2022 and replaced by Te Whatu Ora.
Licensing trusts
Elections were also be held for licensing trusts, which are community-owned companies with government-authorised monopolies on the development of premises licensed for the sale of alcoholic beverages and associated accommodation in an area:
