# Mayoral elections in Petone

Elections were held at regular times in Petone from its proclamation as a borough in 1888 to its abolition in 1989. Elections were held annually until 1915 when two year terms were introduced which lasted until 1935 when the mayoral term was extended to three years. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

## Election results
### July 1888 election

1888 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Samuel Raymond Johnson | 102 | 65.38 |
| | Independent | John Stansell | 54 | 34.62 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 30.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 156 | 56.52 |

### November 1888 election

Samuel Raymond Johnson was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1889 election

1889 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Richard Clement Kirk | 95 | 40.59 |
| | Independent | William Henry Cook | 79 | 33.76 |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 60 | 25.64 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 6.83 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 234 | |

### 1890 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1891 election

1891 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 105 | 58.01 |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 76 | 41.98 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 16.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 181 | |

### 1892 election

1892 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Richard Clement Kirk | 160 | 60.83 |
| | Independent | Samuel Raymond Johnson | 103 | 39.16 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 21.67 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 263 | |

### 1893 election

1893 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Richard Clement Kirk | 140 | 53.43 | −7.40 |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 122 | 46.56 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 6.87 | −14.80 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 262 | | |

### 1894 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1895 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1896 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1897 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1898 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1899 election

Richard Clement Kirk was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1901 election

1901 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 414 | 50.73 |
| | Independent | Richard Clement Kirk | 396 | 48.52 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 6 | 0.73 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 2.20 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 816 | |

### 1902 election

1902 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 445 | 61.46 | +10.73 |
| | Independent | James Toomath | 279 | 38.53 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 166 | 22.92 | +20.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 724 | | |

### 1903 election

1903 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 541 | 62.61 | |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 323 | 37.38 | −24.08 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 219 | 25.34 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 864 | | |

### 1904 election

1904 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 720 | 63.66 | +1.05 |
| | Independent | Alex Fraser | 411 | 36.33 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 4 | 0.35 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 309 | 27.32 | +1.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,131 | | |

### 1905 election

George Thomas London was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1906 election

1906 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 363 | 50.06 |
| | Independent | Henry Findlay | 360 | 49.65 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2 | 0.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 0.41 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 725 | |

### 1907 election

1907 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 684 | 64.83 |
| | Independent | Richard Mothes | 363 | 34.40 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 8 | 0.75 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 321 | 30.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,055 | |

### 1908 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1909 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1910 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1911 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1912 election

1912 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,123 | 72.21 |
| | Independent | Joseph Piper | 421 | 27.07 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 11 | 0.70 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 702 | 45.14 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,555 | |

### 1913 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1914 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1915 election

John William McEwan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1917 election

1917 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,861 | 71.60 |
| | Labour | Alexander Anderson | 717 | 27.58 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 21 | 0.80 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,144 | 44.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,599 | |

### 1919 election

1919 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,079 | 52.58 | −19.02 |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 951 | 46.34 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 22 | 1.07 | +0.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 6.23 | −37.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,052 | | |

### 1921 election

1921 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,021 | 45.86 | −6.72 |
| | Labour | David McKenzie | 640 | 28.75 | |
| | Independent | Albert Pere | 565 | 25.38 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 381 | 17.11 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,226 | | |

### 1923 election

1923 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,280 | 65.23 | +19.37 |
| | Independent | Albert Pere | 653 | 33.28 | +7.90 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 29 | 1.47 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 627 | 31.95 | +14.84 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,962 | | |

### 1925 election

1925 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,480 | 57.88 | −7.35 |
| | Independent | George Thomas London | 1,077 | 42.12 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 403 | 15.76 | −16.19 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,557 | 44.05 | |

### 1927 election

1927 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | David McKenzie | 1,740 | 63.94 |
| | Civic League | George Cook | 944 | 34.69 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 37 | 1.35 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 796 | 29.25 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,721 | |

### 1929 election

David McKenzie was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1931 election

David McKenzie was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1933 election

1933 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | David McKenzie | 1,787 | 43.02 |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 566 | 19.94 |
| | Civic League | George Findlay | 457 | 16.10 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 28 | 0.98 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,221 | 43.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,838 | |

### 1934 election

Mayor David McKenzie died on 2 October 1934. A by-election was avoided when the council decided to elect one of its own members to serve the remainder of the term. The deputy mayor, Albert Scholefield, was elected unanimously at a council meeting on 8 October 1934.

### 1935 election

1935 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Albert Scholefield | 1,266 | 37.21 | |
| | Independent | John William McEwan | 1,052 | 30.92 | +10.98 |
| | Citizens | John Campbell Burns | 607 | 17.84 | |
| | Independent | Edward Norman Campbell | 399 | 11.72 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 78 | 2.29 | +1.31 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 214 | 6.29 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,402 | | |

### 1938 election

1938 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Citizens | George London | 1,578 | 42.69 | |
| | Labour | Albert Scholefield | 1,551 | 41.96 | +4.75 |
| | Independent | David Dickson | 526 | 14.23 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 41 | 1.10 | −1.19 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 0.73 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,696 | | |

### 1941 election

George London was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1944 election

1944 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Citizens | Harold Green | 2,226 | 50.94 |
| | Labour | James Cumming | 2,038 | 46.64 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 65 | 1.48 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 4.30 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,369 | |

### 1947 election

1947 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Citizens | Alec MacFarlane | 2,348 | 50.07 | |
| | Labour | James Cumming | 2,306 | 49.17 | +2.53 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 35 | 0.74 | −0.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42 | 0.89 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,689 | | |

### 1950 election

1950 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joe Huggan | 2,164 | 52.30 | |
| | Citizens | Alec MacFarlane | 1,952 | 47.18 | −2.89 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 21 | 0.50 | −0.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 212 | 5.12 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,137 | | |

### 1953 election

Joe Huggan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1956 election

Joe Huggan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1957 by-election

Annie Huggan was elected mayor unopposed.

### 1959 election

Annie Huggan was re-elected mayor unopposed.

### 1962 election

1962 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Annie Huggan | 1,789 | 59.49 |
| | Citizens | Trevor Dick | 1,199 | 39.87 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 19 | 0.63 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 590 | 19.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,007 | |

### 1965 election

1965 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ralph Love | 1,109 | 37.23 | |
| | Citizens | Trevor Dick | 941 | 31.59 | −8.28 |
| | Independent | Annie Huggan | 751 | 25.21 | −34.28 |
| | Independent | Peter Love | 153 | 5.13 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 24 | 0.80 | +0.17 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 168 | 5.64 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,978 | 46.50 | |

### 1967 by-election

1967 Petone mayoral by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ralph Love | 1,249 | 49.36 | +12.13 |
| | Independent | Tom Watson | 1,034 | 40.86 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 16 | 0.63 | +0.17 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 215 | 8.49 | +2.85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,530 | 39.50 | −7.00 |

### 1968 election

1968 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | George Gee | 1,859 | 58.14 | |
| | Labour | Ralph Love | 1,311 | 41.00 | −8.36 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 27 | 0.84 | +0.21 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 548 | 17.14 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,197 | 49.92 | +10.42 |

### 1971 election

1971 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | George Gee | 2,090 | 72.84 | +14.70 |
| | Citizens | William Hartley Kennedy | 422 | 14.70 | |
| | Labour | George Highfield | 333 | 11.60 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 24 | 0.83 | −0.01 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,668 | 58.13 | +40.99 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,869 | | |

### 1974 election

1974 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | George Gee | 1,878 | 68.34 | −4.50 |
| | Labour | George Highfield | 816 | 29.70 | +18.10 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 54 | 1.96 | +1.13 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,062 | 38.64 | −19.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,748 | | |

### 1977 election

1977 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | George Gee | 1,579 | 52.04 | −16.30 |
| | Labour | Jim Allen | 1,406 | 46.34 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 49 | 1.61 | −0.35 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 | 5.70 | −32.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,034 | | |

### 1980 election

1980 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | Ron Marston | 901 | 39.22 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Alexander | 716 | 31.17 | |
| | Independent | Jim Allen | 680 | 29.60 | −16.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 185 | 8.05 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,297 | | |

### 1983 election

1983 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Petone | Ron Marston | 1,057 | 45.48 | +6.26 |
| | Independent | Ted Woolf | 843 | 36.27 | |
| | Labour | George Highfield | 353 | 15.18 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 71 | 3.05 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 214 | 9.20 | +1.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,324 | | |

### 1986 election

1986 Petone mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ted Woolf | 939 | 47.44 | +11.17 |
| | Independent | Roy Hewson | 709 | 35.82 | |
| | United Petone | Ron Marston | 328 | 16.57 | −28.91 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 3 | 0.15 | −2.90 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 230 | 11.62 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,979 | 37.50 | |