1998 Wellington City mayoral election

1998 Wellington City mayoral election
	10 October 1998
Turnout	56,925 (48.80%)
Mayor before election; Mark Blumsky;	Elected Mayor ; Mark Blumsky;

The 1998 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1998, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including 18 councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background

The election saw incumbent Mayor Mark Blumsky re-elected with a greatly increased majority. However Blumsky did not gain a majority of support on the council with only seven of the "Wellington Alive" ticket elected. Wellington Alive were selection of right-leaning council candidates that were given public endorsement by Blumsky following the dissolution of the decades old Citizens' Association several years earlier.[1]

Councillor Jack Ruben initially declared to stand, but withdrew to support Stephanie Cook and avoid further splitting the left-wing vote.[2] Bryan Pepperell, another left leaning candidate stood as well. Cook and Pepperell were re-elected to the council, though Ruben lost his seat.

The 1998 election is the last mayoral election in Wellington's history to date where the successful candidate polled more than half the popular vote. It was also the first time since the 1933 election that the Labour Party did not field a mayoral candidate.

Mayoralty results

The following table gives the election results:

1998 Wellington mayoral election[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mark Blumsky	33,586	59.00	+14.64
	Alliance	Stephanie Cook	12,693	22.29
	Independent	Bryan Pepperell	7,327	12.87	+12.22
	Independent	Hugh Baker-Boyd	1,366	2.39
	Independent	Rama Ramanathan	1,357	2.38
	Independent	Robert Te Whare	596	1.04
Majority			20,893	36.70	+11.96
Turnout			56,925	48.80	-2.98

Ward results

Candidates were also elected from wards to the Wellington City Council.[3]

	Party/ticket	Councillors
	Wellington Alive	7
	Labour	3
	Greens	2
	Alliance	1
	Independent	5

References

Zatorski, Lidia (12 October 1998). "Blumsky romps in, but voters clip council wings". The Evening Post. p. 6.
"Cook seeks mayor's job, Ruben ends bid". The Evening Post. 28 August 1998. p. 3.
"How You Voted". The Evening Post. 12 October 1998. p. 6.

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[1] Zatorski, Lidia (12 October 1998). "Blumsky romps in, but voters clip council wings". The Evening Post. p. 6.

[2] "Cook seeks mayor's job, Ruben ends bid". The Evening Post. 28 August 1998. p. 3.

[Results-3] "How You Voted". The Evening Post. 12 October 1998. p. 6.