# 1968 Lower Hutt mayoral election

The 1968 Lower Hutt mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The elections were held for the role of Mayor of Lower Hutt 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, Percy Dowse, sought re-election for a seventh term. He was opposed by Citizens' Association councillor Dave Hadley. Initially John Kennedy-Good was favoured as the Citizens' mayoral candidate, but as he had in 1965, he refused to challenge Dowse. Additionally he cited his intention to stand for parliament as the National Party candidate for the Hutt electorate at the upcoming 1969 general election as being incompatible with the mayoralty. Dowse, who was returned unopposed in the previous election, had a large reduction in his majority. The Labour Party lost its majority on the council (three sitting councillors lost their seats) with a large swing to Citizens' candidates.

## Mayoral results

1968 Lower Hutt mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Percy Dowse | 7,241 | 51.48 |
| | Citizens' | Dave Hadley | 6,629 | 47.13 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 193 | 1.37 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 612 | 4.35 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,063 | 43.01 |

## Councillor results

1968 Lower Hutt City Council election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Citizens' | Dave Hadley | 8,260 | 58.73 | +8.69 |
| Citizens' | John Kennedy-Good | 8,195 | 58.27 | +1.43 |
| Labour | Chen Werry | 7,876 | 56.00 | −5.35 |
| Citizens' | Don Lee | 7,540 | 53.61 | +4.61 |
| Citizens' | Ted Holdaway | 7,347 | 52.24 | |
| Citizens' | Stan Frost | 7,104 | 50.51 | |
| Labour | Sam Chesney | 6,988 | 49.69 | −8.46 |
| Labour | Kitty Mildenhall | 6,849 | 48.70 | −5.39 |
| Labour | Jessie Donald | 6,717 | 47.76 | −8.28 |
| Citizens' | Cyril Phelps | 6,654 | 47.31 | +18.03 |
| Citizens' | Ted Gibbs | 6,583 | 46.81 | +1.64 |
| Labour | Wally Bugden | 6,517 | 46.34 | −12.00 |
| Citizens' | Max Borra | 6,442 | 45.80 | |
| Citizens' | Jim Ross | 6,406 | 45.55 | |
| Citizens' | Harold Meachen | 6,210 | 44.15 | |
| Labour | David Carrad | 5,967 | 42.43 | −8.75 |
| Citizens' | Joseph David Peters | 5,927 | 42.14 | |
| Labour | William Harvey | 5,891 | 41.89 | −8.58 |
| Labour | Joan Mary Pearce | 5,889 | 41.87 | −6.16 |
| Labour | Bert Sutherland | 5,880 | 41.81 | −7.88 |
| Citizens' | Peter James Stevens | 5,851 | 41.60 | |
| Citizens' | William Davidson Smith | 5,677 | 40.36 | |
| Citizens' | Andrew George Gathergood | 5,491 | 39.04 | |
| Labour | Ronald Edward Alexander Annan | 5,482 | 38.98 | |
| Labour | Edward William Harnett | 5,142 | 36.56 | |
| Labour | William Mouat McLaren | 5,120 | 36.40 | −11.26 |
| Citizens' | Peter Edwin Grenside | 5,080 | 36.12 | |
| Labour | William John Jarvis | 5,064 | 36.00 | −8.28 |
| Labour | John Alan Nelsson Ivory | 5,028 | 35.75 | |
| Labour | George John Ravelich | 4,831 | 34.35 | |
| Independent | Unah Lovell Archibald | 2,604 | 18.51 | |
| Independent | Nick Ursin | 2,348 | 16.69 | |