1968 Wellington City mayoral election

The 1968 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1968, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

1968 Wellington City mayoral election
12 October 1968
Turnout28,217 (46.5%)
 
Candidate Frank Kitts Bob Archibald
Party Labour Citizens'
Popular vote 18,390 9,569
Percentage 65.17 33.91
Mayor before election

Frank Kitts
Labour

 Elected Mayor

Frank Kitts
Labour

Background

Initially, long-serving councillor Denis McGrath announced his candidacy for Mayor on behalf of the Citizens' Association. He withdrew in June after he was appointed President of the New Zealand Law Society and decided not to seek re-election as a councillor either.[1] This generated press speculation that the Citizens' Association would decide not field a candidate. However, despite previously declining to stand, deputy mayor Bob Archibald eventually accepted nomination following a deputation of local businessman requesting that he stand.[2]

Ultimately, Frank Kitts was re-elected mayor for a fifth term. In doing so he won both a record size majority and became Wellington's longest-serving mayor.[3]

Mayoralty results
1968 Wellington mayoral election[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Frank Kitts 18,390 65.17 +7.74
Citizens' Bob Archibald 9,569 33.91
Informal votes 258 0.91 +0.33
Majority 8,821 31.26 +12.48
Turnout 28,217 46.5 -1.1

Councillor results
1968 Wellington City Council election[4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rolland O'Regan 17,652 62.55 +8.52
Labour John Jeffries 16,926 59.98 +9.35
Citizens' Bob Archibald 16,216 57.46 +11.18
Citizens' Stewart Duff 15,972 56.60 +13.16
Labour Olive Smuts-Kennedy 15,965 56.57 +7.18
Citizens' George Porter 14,013 49.66 +8.43
Citizens' John Turk 14,002 49.62 +9.65
Citizens' Betty Campbell 13,577 48.11
Citizens' Gordon Morrison 13,511 47.88 +8.14
Labour Gerald O'Brien 13,240 46.92 +7.34
Citizens' William Scollay 12,851 45.54 +6.48
Labour Keith Spry 12,817 45.42 +6.79
Citizens' Ron Button 11,903 42.18
Citizens' Michael Fowler 11,794 41.79
Citizens' Rod Campbell 11,674 41.37
Labour Peter Butler 11,084 39.28 +0.72
Labour Edward Hill 10,889 38.59 +5.31
Citizens' Les Chapman 10,875 38.54
Citizens' Frank Fordham 10,695 37.90
Labour Yvonne Grove 10,596 37.55
Labour Florence Vincent 10,538 37.34
Citizens' George Madgwick 10,027 35.53
Citizens' Keith Congreve 9,881 35.01
Labour Douglas Foy 9,609 34.05
Labour Tony Haas 9,600 34.02
Labour Gwendrith Elsie Haine 9,475 33.57 +0.60
Citizens' Hollis Reed 9,249 32.77
Labour Stan Rodger 9,075 32.16
Labour Percival Hansen 8,912 31.58 -5.12
Labour Wilfred Edward Simpson 8,566 30.35
Independent Saul Goldsmith 4,594 16.28 +1.60
Independent Liberal Harry Hughes 3,892 13.79
Independent Annette Griffin 3,823 13.54
Independent Clevedon Costello 3,407 12.07
Independent Liberal Bernard Kaiser 3,341 11.84
Independent Donald McMillain 2,911 10.31
Communist Ron Smith 1,530 5.42 +2.14

References
  1. "Cr McGrath Quits Mayoralty Race". The Evening Post. 20 June 1968.
  2. "Cr Archibald to Seek Wellington Mayoralty". The Evening Post. 20 August 1968.
  3. "Fifth Term as Capital's Mayor". The Evening Post. 14 October 1968.
  4. Petersen, G.A. (23 October 1968). Declaration of Election Results (Report). Wellington City Council.
  5. "Declaration of Result of Election". The Dominion. 23 October 1968.
  6. "Declaration of Result of Election". The Evening Post. 26 October 1968.


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