# List of by-elections to the Invercargill City Council

By-elections to the Invercargill City Council occur to fill vacant seats in the City Council. The death, resignation, bankruptcy or expulsion of a sitting councillor can cause a by-election to occur. The most recent by-election in Invercargill was in 2023 triggered by the resignation of councillor Nigel Skelt.
There have also been four mayoral by-elections in 1887, 1938, 1942 and 1993.

## List of by-elections
### 1912 by-election

William Benjamin Scandrett resigned from the council upon being elected mayor. The resulting by-election was won by Tom O'Byrne.
1912 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Tom O'Byrne | 769 | 39.65 |
| | Independent | Hugh Mair | 545 | 28.10 |
| | Independent | Robert Barbour McKay | 443 | 22.84 |
| | Independent | Andrew McCulloch | 171 | 8.81 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 11 | 0.56 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 224 | 11.55 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,939 | |

### 1913 by-election

In 1913 Councillor Robert Galbraith resigned after moving residence to Ashburton.
1913 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Thomas Carswell | 890 | 39.01 |
| | Independent | Isaac Petrie | 882 | 38.66 |
| | United Labour | Alexander Glass | 485 | 21.26 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 24 | 1.05 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.35 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,281 | |

### 1916 by-elections

Councillor John Archer resigned to move to Wellington. Edward Sheehan won the by-election on 19 January but was forced to resign due to a contract he neglected to surrender prior to being nominated. He was again elected on 23 February.
January 1916 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Edward Sheehan | 558 | 46.34 |
| | Labour | John Winders | 330 | 27.40 |
| | Independent Labour | John Charles Mackley | 316 | 26.24 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 28 | 2.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 228 | 18.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,204 | |
February 1916 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Edward Sheehan | 547 | 39.46 | −6.88 |
| | Independent | William Smith | 360 | 25.97 | |
| | Labour | John Winders | 315 | 22.72 | −4.68 |
| | Independent Labour | Jacob Alsweiler | 106 | 7.64 | |
| | Independent | Thomas Harrington | 58 | 4.18 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 9 | 0.64 | −1.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 187 | 13.49 | −5.44 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,386 | | |

### 1920 by-election

William Baird's seat on the council lapsed in 1920 triggering a by-election.
1920 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Frederick George Blake | 386 | 73.66 |
| | Independent Labour | Jacob Alsweiler | 135 | 25.76 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 3 | 0.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 251 | 47.90 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 524 | 5.87 |

### 1927 by-election

Councillor Arthur Geddes resigned due to poor health. The by-election was contested by former councillors Alexander Glass and Tom O'Byrne.
1927 Invercargill Borough Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Tom O'Byrne | 1,323 | 53.15 |
| | Independent | Alexander Glass | 1,159 | 46.56 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 7 | 0.28 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 6.58 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,489 | |

### 1932 by-election

Councillor Edward Sheehan died on 21 June 1932. The resulting by-election was won by William Denham on 18 July.
1932 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | William Denham | 2,023 | 55.12 |
| | Independent | William Rous Mabson | 1,637 | 44.60 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 10 | 0.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 386 | 10.51 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,670 | |

### 1938 by-election

1938 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Richard Thomas Parsons | 1,011 | 30.28 |
| | Independent | William John Thomas | 1,003 | 30.04 |
| | Independent | Albert Errol Crimp | 956 | 28.63 |
| | Independent Labour | D W Stalker | 368 | 11.02 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.24 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,338 | |

### 1939 by-election

First term councillor Alfred McCarthy resigned after being appointed as Judge of the Native Land Court for the Cook Islands in February 1939.
1939 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William John Thomas | 2,178 | 63.02 |
| | Labour | Maurice William Grantham | 1,275 | 36.89 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 3 | 0.08 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 903 | 26.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,456 | |

### 1949 by-election

Councillor John Pickard died on 10 January 1949, prompting a by-election which was won by George Agnew. Councillor Agnew would later die suddenly during a council meeting that November. The council opted to fill the seat via an appointment rather than hold another by-election.
1949 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | George Agnew | 965 | 23.56 |
| | Independent | Alan Herbert James Wyatt | 752 | 18.36 |
| | Independent | Sandy Jordan | 596 | 14.55 |
| | Independent | Albert Errol Crimp | 502 | 12.25 |
| | Independent | George William Adamson | 419 | 10.23 |
| | Independent | William Liddy Boyd | 356 | 8.69 |
| | Independent | Brian Vincent Liston Beadle | 324 | 7.91 |
| | Independent | John Charles Waters | 233 | 5.68 |
| | Independent | Thomas Philip Hackett | 49 | 1.19 |
| | Independent | James Millar Markey | 32 | 0.78 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 65 | 1.58 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 213 | 5.20 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,095 | 22.75 |

### 1976 by-election

Councillor Norman Jones resigned after being elected to parliament, prompting a by-election. Jones was replaced on the council by J. B. Munro, whom he defeated at the parliamentary election. There was also another vacancy so the election was for two seats.
1976 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | J. B. Munro | 4,299 | 65.09 |
| | Independent | Jim Fenton | 1,969 | 29.81 |
| | Independent | Ivall Moira Macdonald | 1,400 | 21.19 |
| | Values | Malcolm Blair | 1,310 | 19.83 |
| | Independent | Tom Brass | 1,102 | 16.68 |
| | Independent | Walter McGregor Watson | 886 | 13.41 |
| | Independent | Mervyn Charles Thomas Hughes | 650 | 9.84 |
| | Independent | Alan Francis King | 492 | 7.45 |
| | Independent | Rex Hawthorne | 427 | 6.46 |
| | Independent | Neville Green | 351 | 5.31 |
| | Independent | Ralph Thomas Webb | 284 | 4.30 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 39 | 0.59 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 569 | 8.61 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,604 | 18.00 |

### 2006 by-election

The 2006 by-election was triggered by the resignation of councillor David Carter due to ill health.
2006 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Wayne Harpur | 4,609 | 29.55 |
| | Independent | Thelma Buck | 3,935 | 25.23 |
| | Independent | Anne McCracken | 3,096 | 19.85 |
| | Independent | Maree Wilks | 1,995 | 12.79 |
| | Independent | Karl Barkley | 1,905 | 12.21 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 56 | 0.35 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 674 | 4.32 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,596 | |

### 2012 by-election

The 2012 by-election was triggered following the resignation of Jackie Kruger.
2012 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Lindsay Thomas | 2,845 | 20.60 |
| | Independent | Karen Arnold | 2,492 | 18.04 |
| | Independent | Steve Broad | 2,453 | 17.76 |
| | Independent | Allan Arnold | 1,890 | 13.68 |
| | Independent | Debbie Jamieson | 1,344 | 9.73 |
| | Independent | Becs Amundsen | 872 | 6.31 |
| | Independent | Hunter Andrews | 808 | 5.85 |
| | Independent | Carl Heenan | 702 | 5.08 |
| | Independent | Charlie Te Au | 314 | 2.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 353 | 2.55 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,810 | |

### 2021 by-election

The 2021 by-election was prompted by the resignation of deputy mayor Toni Biddle in October 2020. On 17 February 2021, broadcaster Marcus Lush was declared to have won in a landslide.
2021 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Marcus Lush | 7,371 | 50.14 |
| | Independent | Wayne Harpur | 1,534 | 10.43 |
| | Independent | Simon Edwards | 1,134 | 7.71 |
| | Independent | Kevin Mulrooney | 1,115 | 7.58 |
| | Independent | Tom Downey | 1,028 | 6.99 |
| | Independent | David Pottinger | 975 | 6.63 |
| | Independent | Wade Devine | 894 | 6.08 |
| | Independent | Carl Heenan | 432 | 2.93 |
| | Independent | Bernadine Goldsmith | 146 | 0.99 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 71 | 0.48 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,837 | 39.70 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,700 | 36.58 |

### 2023 by-election

On the night of 4 May 2023, Invercargill City councillor Nigel Skelt resigned from his position after fellow councillor Ria Bond threatened to resign if Skelt did not resign following allegations of sexual harassment. On 2 May 2023, Radio New Zealand reported that a female teenage employee at the ILT Stadium Southland had resigned on 17 February 2023 in response to Skelt's remarks about her physical appearance, naked jelly wrestling, and sexual reproduction. The former employee said she was upset by Skelt's remarks and no longer wanted to work alongside Skelt. At the time, Skelt was working as a stadium manager at ILT Stadium Southland. Radio New Zealand also reported that the Mayor of Invercargill Nobby Clark tried to defuse the situation by paying the teenage employee's NZ$3,000 in lost income, offering the employee counseling and work, issuing a warning to Skelt, and negotiating a confidentiality agreement with the employee. The young woman's parent criticised Clark in a letter for allegedly prioritising Skelt and the stadium's reputation over the hurt and damage experienced by the employee. The incident became public knowledge following a Local Government Official Information Meeting Act media request filed on 29 March 2023.
Bond welcomed Skelt's decision to resign, stating that "no person should be forced to work with someone who has done the things that he's done." The Invercargill City Council stated that Skelt's resignation would trigger a by-election, which was expected to cost approximately NZ$120,000. Invercargill's last by-election was held in 2020–2021 in response to Toni Biddle's resignation. The by-election campaign launch began on 1 July 2023. The Holy Trinity Church hosted a campaign launch meeting that was attended by seven candidates and 20 members of the public. The campaign launch covered several topics including the Three Waters reform programme, soup kitchens, Invercargill's Splash Palace changing room policy and Mayor Clark's participation in Julian Batchelor's controversial "Stop Co-Governance" meeting. A further ten meetings were scheduled to be held in Invercargill before voting commences on 13 July.
2023 Invercargill City Council by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Steve Broad | 2,792 | 20.93 |
| | Independent | David Meades | 1,589 | 11.91 |
| | Independent | Lisa Tou-McNaughton | 1,559 | 11.69 |
| | Independent | Graham Lewis | 1,524 | 11.42 |
| | Independent | Asha Dutt | 1,505 | 11.28 |
| | Independent | Ian Reeves | 888 | 6.65 |
| | Independent | David Pottinger | 678 | 5.08 |
| | Independent | Sebastien Fabre | 652 | 4.88 |
| | Independent | Terry King | 507 | 3.80 |
| | Independent | Andrea Murrell | 460 | 3.44 |
| | Independent | David Hicks | 363 | 2.72 |
| | Independent | Carl Heenan | 362 | 2.71 |
| | Independent | Rob Te Maiharoa | 324 | 2.42 |
| | Independent | Tom Morton | 71 | 0.53 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 61 | 0.45 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,203 | 9.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,335 | 34.48 |