1983 Porirua mayoral election

The 1983 Porirua mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The elections were held for the role of Mayor of Porirua plus other local government positions including sixteen city councillors, also elected triennially. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

1983 Porirua mayoral election

← 1980 8 October 1983 1986 →
Turnout13,092
 
Candidate John Burke Maxine Arnold
Party Labour Independent
Popular vote 5,392 3,824
Percentage 41.18 29.20

Mayor before election

Whitford Brown

Elected mayor

John Burke

Background

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The incumbent Mayor, Whitford Brown, retired after 21 years leaving an open race. The deputy mayor John Burke was elected over councillor Maxine Arnold, though the Labour ticket he led failed to regain a majority with the council having a majority of independent councillors.[1]

Electoral reforms were implemented at the 1983 municipal elections, the method of electing councillors at large which had been used in Porirua since 1962 was replaced with a ward system of local electoral districts. Wards had been used for areas absorbed into the city since then in both Taupo and Pukerua Bay from 1974 with the rest elected at large.[2]

Mayoral results

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The following table gives the election results:

1983 Porirua mayoral election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Burke 5,392 41.18
Independent Maxine Arnold 3,824 29.20
Independent Charles Hudson 3,033 23.16
Mana Motuhake Mark Metekingi 742 5.66
Informal votes 101 0.77 −0.33
Majority 1,568 11.97
Turnout 13,092

Ward results

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

Party/ticket Councillors
Independent 9
Labour 6
Values 1

References

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  1. ^ "Independents remain dominant in Porirua". The Evening Post. 10 October 1983. p. 2.
  2. ^ Penman, Neil; Penman, June (2015). A portrait of Porirua : the creation of a planned city. Penmanship Press. p. 178. ISBN 9780473258672.
  3. ^ a b "City of Porirua - Declaration of Result of Election". The Evening Post. 15 October 1983. p. 33.