2019 Nelson mayoral election

2019 Nelson mayoral election

12 October 2019

Candidate Rachel Reese Mel Courtney Tim Skinner Party Independent Popular vote 5,834 4,190 3,737 Percentage 30.30% 21.76% 19.41%   Candidate Bill Dahlberg Mike Ward Party Mayoralty Only Popular vote 3,380 1,634 Percentage 17.55% 8.48%

Mayor before election Rachel Reese Elected mayor Rachel Reese

The 2019 Nelson mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections that were held on 12 October 2019 to elect the Mayor of Nelson, New Zealand.

Key dates

Key dates for the election were:[1]

• 1 July: Electoral Commission enrolment campaign starts.
• 19 July: Nominations open for candidates. Rolls open for inspection.
• 16 August: Nominations close at 12 noon. Rolls close.
• 21 August: Election date and candidates' names announced.
• 20 to 25 September: Voting documents delivered to households. Electors can post the documents back to electoral officers as soon as they have voted.
• 12 October: Polling day. Voting documents must be at council before voting closes at 12 noon. Preliminary results will be available as soon as all ordinary votes are counted.
• 17 to 23 October: Official results, including all valid ordinary and special votes, declared.

Candidates

Declared candidates

• Mel Courtney, Nelson City Councillor and former Nelson MP[2]
• Bill Dahlberg, Nelson City Councillor[3]
• Rachel Reese, incumbent Mayor of Nelson[4]
• Tim Skinner, Nelson City Councillor[5]
• Mike Ward, former Nelson City Councillor and List MP, candidate for mayor in 1986, 1989, 2007, and 2010[6]
• John Wakelin[7]
• Avner Nahmias[7]

Results

2019 Nelson mayoral election[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Rachel Reese	5,834	30.30	−30.44
	None	Mel Courtney	4,190	21.76
	None	Tim Skinner	3,737	19.41
	Mayoralty Only	Bill Dahlberg	3,380	17.55
	None	Mike Ward	1,634	8.48
	Independent	Avner Nahmias	292	1.51
	Patriotic	John Wakelin	186	0.96
Total valid votes			19,253	99.73
Informal votes			52	0.27	+0.10
Majority			1,644	8.54	−25.21
Turnout			19,305

References

1. "Race for the mayoralty: What you need to know". Radio NZ. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
2. "Old hand at Nelson council announces bid for mayoralty". 20 April 2019.
3. "Nelson Councillor announces mayoralty bid". 9 July 2019.
4. "Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese is running for re-election". 12 July 2019.
5. "Nelson mayoral contest widens as councillor Tim Skinner joins race". 28 July 2019.
6. "Mike for mayor?". 30 May 2019.
7. Anderson, Charles (22 August 2019). "Seventh Mayoral Candidate Announced". Nelson Weekly.
8. "Nelson City Council 2019 Triennial Elections Final Result and Expense Returns". Nelson City Council.