# 1974 Porirua mayoral election

The 1974 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 fifteen city councillors, also elected triennially. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

## Background

The incumbent Mayor, Whitford Brown, sought re-election for a fifth term. He was opposed by Labour Party councillor Ted Taylor, who opted to run as an independent. Brown was re-elected comfortably and while losing the mayoralty Taylor was re-elected for the city council.
This was the first election after the areas of Camborne, Paremata, Pāuatahanui, Plimmerton, Pukerua Bay and Whitby were added to Porirua City from Hutt County on 1 April 1973. The electoral ridings of Taupo and Pukerua Bay became wards of Porirua City.

## Mayoral results

1974 Porirua mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Whitford Brown | 4,891 | 71.10 | −7.76 |
| | Independent | Ted Taylor | 1,863 | 27.08 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 125 | 1.81 | −0.44 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,028 | 44.01 | −15.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,879 | | |

## Councillor results

1974 Porirua City Council election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Porirua Ward (12 vacancies) ||||||
| | Values | Helen Smith | 2,720 | 67.39 | +32.66 |
| | Labour | John Burke | 2,548 | 63.13 | +20.12 |
| | Labour | George Moke | 2,390 | 59.21 | −2.41 |
| | Independent | Maxine Arnold | 2,259 | 55.97 | +51.47 |
| | Ind. Progressive | Ned Nathan | 2,191 | 54.28 | +7.98 |
| | Ind. Progressive | Hec Stuart | 2,168 | 53.71 | +1.04 |
| | Labour | Aileen Dette | 2,052 | 50.84 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Puoho Katene | 2,022 | 50.09 | −3.75 |
| | Labour | Peter Church | 1,979 | 49.03 | |
| | Independent | Ted Taylor | 1,950 | 48.31 | −4.44 |
| | Labour | Ivan Hardgrave | 1,800 | 44.59 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Gary McCormick | 1,765 | 43.73 | |
| | Labour | Terry O'Brien | 1,763 | 43.68 | +0.97 |
| | Labour | David Isaia | 1,754 | 43.45 | |
| | Independent | Alf Mexted | 1,741 | 43.13 | −6.25 |
| | Ind. Progressive | Philip Ward | 1,600 | 39.64 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Diana Margaret Fulton | 1,479 | 36.64 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Noel William Donaldson | 1,461 | 36.19 | |
| | Labour | Phillip O'Connell | 1,441 | 35.70 | |
| | Labour | Raea Tagaha Puni | 1,457 | 36.10 | |
| | Labour | Ruhina McNaught | 1,423 | 35.25 | |
| | Labour | Tagipo Faanana | 1,381 | 34.21 | |
| | Labour | Thomas Tai | 1,317 | 32.63 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Murray Harold Robertson | 1,164 | 28.84 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Geoffrey Nelson Rice | 1,139 | 28.22 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Norman Keith Crossley | 1,104 | 27.35 | |
| | Independent | Edward Henry Groombridge | 994 | 24.62 | |
| | Independent | Rio Nia | 781 | 19.35 | |
| | Independent | Anthony McCarthy | 597 | 14.79 | |
| Taupo Ward (2 vacancies) ||||||
| | Independent | Ken Gray | 845 | 73.28 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Fred Duckworth | 642 | 55.68 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Margaret Janssen | 490 | 42.49 | |
| | Independent | Richard Bruce Ferguson | 330 | 28.62 | |
| Pukerua Bay Ward (1 vacancy) ||||||
| | Labour | Alastair Maclean | 219 | 50.94 | |
| | Ind. Progressive | Phillip Leigh Gamby | 211 | 49.06 | |