# 1953 Christchurch mayoral election

The 1953 Christchurch mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1953, election were held for the Mayor of Christchurch plus other local government positions. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

## Campaign

Sitting mayor Robert Macfarlane was re-elected with the largest majority he had won so far against city councillor James Hay. The Labour Party lost two seats on the Council but retained their majority, winning ten seats to the nine won by the Citizens' Association.
A major talking point in the lead up to the election was the potential of a clash with the 1953 Royal Tour. There were proposals to postpone local elections until early 1954 over fears of reduced turnout due to a conflicted schedule. The proposals were considered by the Minister of Internal Affairs William Bodkin, who ultimately decided against it.

## Mayoralty results

The following table gives the election results:
1953 Christchurch mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Macfarlane | 21,316 | 52.07 | +6.17 |
| | Citizens' | James Hay | 19,419 | 47.44 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 195 | 0.47 | −0.62 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,897 | 4.63 | +1.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,930 | 48.80 | +11.72 |

## Council results

1953 Christchurch City Council election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | George Manning | 22,961 | 56.09 | −0.61 |
| Labour | Terry McCombs | 22,326 | 54.54 | +2.84 |
| Labour | Mabel Howard | 21,145 | 51.66 | −0.52 |
| Labour | John Mathison | 20,373 | 49.77 | +1.05 |
| Labour | Teresa Green | 20,278 | 49.54 | −2.35 |
| Labour | Lyn Christie | 19,548 | 47.75 | −0.70 |
| Citizens' | Mary McLean | 19,431 | 47.47 | +0.05 |
| Citizens' | Bill MacGibbon | 19,344 | 47.26 | |
| Citizens' | Ernest Adams | 19,198 | 46.90 | |
| Citizens' | Les Amos | 18,784 | 45.89 | −2.83 |
| Citizens' | Bill Glue | 18,777 | 45.87 | −0.51 |
| Labour | Charles Baldwin | 18,636 | 45.53 | +1.52 |
| Labour | Norman Reginald Forbes | 18,253 | 44.59 | +2.02 |
| Citizens' | Clyde Sheppard | 17,836 | 43.57 | −0.52 |
| Labour | John Edward Jones | 17,692 | 43.22 | +1.81 |
| Citizens' | Ron Guthrey | 17,659 | 43.14 | +0.11 |
| Citizens' | John Edward Tait | 17,626 | 43.06 | −1.05 |
| Citizens' | Frederick Cuthbert Penfold | 17,417 | 42.55 | |
| Labour | James Shankland Sr. | 17,405 | 42.52 | +1.18 |
| Citizens' | William James Cowles | 17,132 | 41.85 | +0.58 |
| Citizens' | Harold Smith | 16,994 | 41.51 | +2.37 |
| Citizens' | Frank Llewellyn Brandt | 16,887 | 41.25 | +0.47 |
| Citizens' | Reginald Gilbert Brown | 16,801 | 41.04 | −1.02 |
| Citizens' | Fred Price | 16,528 | 40.38 | |
| Labour | Arthur John Smith | 16,479 | 40.26 | −3.99 |
| Labour | James Sturrock | 16,479 | 40.26 | −1.91 |
| Labour | James Shankland Jr. | 16,475 | 40.25 | |
| Citizens' | George Griffiths | 16,466 | 40.22 | −0.14 |
| Labour | Percy Malcolm Velvin | 16,449 | 40.18 | −2.20 |
| Labour | William Percy Warner | 16,375 | 40.00 | −3.14 |
| Labour | Robert Newman | 16,351 | 39.94 | −1.30 |
| Citizens' | Jack Leslie Laby | 16,339 | 39.91 | −0.74 |
| Labour | Roy Smith | 16,093 | 39.31 | |
| Citizens' | Rolfe Neville | 15,995 | 39.07 | |
| Citizens' | Avey Hudson Dale | 15,870 | 38.77 | |
| Labour | John Gordon Wilson Power | 15,787 | 38.57 | −1.44 |
| Citizens' | Arthur Norman Stone | 15,229 | 37.20 | −1.59 |
| Citizens' | John Morrison | 14,991 | 36.62 | |
| Independent | Charles Trillo | 3,977 | 9.71 | |
| Communist | Jack Locke | 2,899 | 7.08 | |
| Communist | Alec Ostler | 2,190 | 5.35 | +1.75 |