1902 Wellington City mayoral election

1902 Wellington City mayoral election

16 April 1902

Candidate John Aitken Party Independent Popular vote elected unopposed

Mayor before election John Aitken Elected mayor John Aitken

The 1902 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year to decide who would take the office of Mayor of Wellington for the following year.

Background

After initially being in doubt as to whether he would seek a third term, incumbent mayor John Aitken allowed his name to go forward to be nominated to stand for re-election.[1] He was returned unopposed as no other candidates were nominated to oppose him.[2] It was the fifth election since 1875 that the mayoralty was uncontested.[3]

The statutory meeting of ratepayers to consider the loan proposals of the city council was held on election day, though attendance at the meeting was low. The ratepayers rejected the proposals by a large majority.[4] This low attendance had become commonplace in local politics and was known as "veto by abstention".[5]

Notes

1. "Wellington Mayoralty - Mr. Aitken Will Stand Again". The Evening Post. Vol. LXIII, no. 82. 7 April 1902. p. 6.
2. "The Re-election of the Mayor". The Evening Post. Vol. LXIII, no. 90. 16 April 1902. p. 4.
3. Betts 1970, pp. 37.
4. "The Wellington Loan Proposals Rejected". Feilding Star. Vol. XXIII, no. 1414. 19 April 1902. p. 2.
5. Betts 1970, pp. 41.

References

• Betts, George (1970). Betts on Wellington: A City and its Politics. Wellington: A. H. & A. W. Reed Ltd. ISBN 0 589 00469 7.