# 1956 Lower Hutt mayoral election

The 1956 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 third term. Dowse was opposed by William Giltrap who stood as an independent candidate. Giltrap had been a Citizens' Association councillor from 1947 to 1950 and again from 1951 to 1953. At this election the Citizens' Association (whose tickets won no seats at the 1950 and 1953 elections) did not stand an official ticket of candidates. Instead Giltrap led a group of five other candidates (known cumulatively as the "Ratepayer Independents") against the Labour council ticket.
Dowse campaigned on his record of development of the city. Labour's pledges were to build a new Town Hall and civic centre, preserve open spaces in northern suburbs (Naenae, Taita and Stokes Valley) for recreation, rebuilding the Melling bridge and improving street sealing in older suburbs of the city. The Ratepayer Independents campaigned on individual freedom and non-partisanship. Election pledges included rates reduction, incentivising land subdivision for new housing, beautification of the Hutt River stop banks and improving road access to Wainuiomata.
Labour won even more decisively than they had in the previous two elections. It won the mayoralty, a majority on the Hutt River Board along with all seats on the city council, power board, gas board, harbour board and hospital board. The only non-Labour seat was won by Giltrap who was elected to the river board.

## Mayoral results

1956 Lower Hutt mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Percy Dowse | 8,378 | 68.40 | +7.56 |
| | Independent | Will Giltrap | 3,782 | 30.88 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 88 | 0.71 | +0.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,596 | 37.52 | +15.20 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,248 | 43.43 | −9.13 |

## Councillor results

1956 Lower Hutt City Council election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | James McDonald | 8,733 | 71.30 | +13.84 |
| Labour | Sam Chesney | 8,592 | 70.15 | +11.77 |
| Labour | Trevor Young | 8,581 | 70.06 | +12.29 |
| Labour | John Davey | 8,403 | 68.60 | +14.60 |
| Labour | William Harvey | 8,382 | 68.43 | |
| Labour | Jessie Donald | 8,370 | 68.33 | +14.87 |
| Labour | Chen Werry | 8,244 | 67.30 | +13.59 |
| Labour | Wally Mildenhall | 8,028 | 65.54 | |
| Labour | William Mouat McLaren | 8,001 | 65.32 | |
| Labour | Bert Sutherland | 7,992 | 65.25 | |
| Labour | Wally Bugden | 7,929 | 64.73 | +12.49 |
| Labour | Alexander Murray | 7,836 | 63.97 | +10.34 |
| Labour | William Riley | 7,331 | 59.85 | |
| Labour | Clarence Fennell | 7,312 | 59.69 | +10.80 |
| Labour | Allan Patrick Ryan | 7,201 | 58.79 | |
| Independent | Alwin Atkinson | 5,567 | 45.45 | +7.49 |
| Independent | Will Giltrap | 5,537 | 45.20 | +2.11 |
| Independent | Cyril Phelps | 5,297 | 43.24 | +20.95 |
| Independent | Randall Owen George Slacke | 5,173 | 42.23 | |
| Independent | Amy Irene Wilson | 4,858 | 39.66 | |
| Independent | Lawry Richard Donovan | 4,781 | 39.03 | |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ Fennell resigned from the council in January 1959 and was replaced by Walter Fraser via an appointment.