The mayor of Palmerston North is the head of the municipal government of Palmerston North, New Zealand, and presides over the Palmerston North City Council. The current mayor is Grant Smith, who became mayor in a February 2015 by-election. This resulted from the resignation of Jono Naylor in October 2014 after his election to the House of Representatives. Since the 2013 election, Palmerston North is one of the few councils that uses the single transferable vote electoral system for the election of mayor.
The Borough Council was established on 12 July 1877. At the time, Palmerston North was an isolated village in the midst of a native forest that covered inland Manawatu. The population was approximately 800 people. The first elections on 9 August 1877 returned a council with nine members, including George Snelson as the first mayor. Snelson is regarded as the founding father of Palmerston North.[4]
On 1 August 1930, Palmerston North was officially gazetted as a city, the 7th settlement in New Zealand to have reached the then-threshold of 20,000 inhabitants. With that, the Borough Council became a city council.[5]
There have been 29 holders of the position. The longest-serving was Gus Mansford, who held the post for 16 years. Jill White was the first female mayor in 1998, since followed by Heather Tanguay in 2004.[10][11]
^"STV Information". The Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
^ ab"1870s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^ ab"1930s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^Annabell, John B (14 October 2007). "Election Results 2007". Palmerston North: Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 24 February 2010. [dead link]
^ abMatheson, Ian Roderick (2003). "Palmerston North Borough and City Councillors". Council and community: 125 years of local government in Palmerston North 1877–2002. pp. 91–100. ISBN0-473-09340-5.
^"1880s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1890s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1900s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1920s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1940s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1950s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1960s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1970s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
^"1980s". Palmerston North City Council. Retrieved 23 February 2010.