The 2019 Wellington City Council election took place on 12 October 2019, to elect the Mayor of Wellington, city councillors, and community board members for the 2019–2022 term, as part of nation-wide local elections.
Electoral system The fourteen councilors were elected across five wards, while the Mayor was elected at large. All offices were elected through a single transferable vote (STV) system done via postal voting.
Candidates could not spend more than $60,000 on electoral expenses and had to disclose details of any donations larger than $1,500.
Background
Wellington Convention Centre In December 2015 the Wellington City Council bought land opposite Te Papa to build a convention centre. The council agreed to give a 25 year lease on the bottom two floors to the Movie Museum Limited, an organisation owned by Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Richard Taylor and Tania Roger. In March 2017 it was revealed that the Museum was delaying construction as its plans hadn't been finished. Delays on constructuion continued and in August of that year's, the museum's lease was cancelled. Eventually in August 2019 work on the convention center began.
Shelly Bay In February 2016 property developer Ian Cassel's company, The Wellington Company, proposed a partnership with the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust for a mixed use development in Shelly Bay. Beneficiaries of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust voting against selling the land, but in July of the following year the board of the Trust and Cassells would renegotiate terms and the Board sold the land anyways. The trust sold the land for 2 million dollars despite buying it for 13.3 million dollars.
Pending resource consent the council received 1100 public submissions on the development, 51% of which were negative, and faced opposition from the public along with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. September 2017 the Council approved the resource consent for the development and agreed to sell land to the company for the development. A local business group, the "Miramar Business Improvement District" appealed to the High Court for a judicial review of the consent but was rejected.
Incumbents not seeking re-election Incumbent Independent councillor Simon Marsh and Green councillor David Lee did not run again in the Motukairangi/Eastern Ward and the Paekawakawa/Southern Ward respectively.
Results Mayor Ten candidates announced that they would run for mayor, including incumbent Justin Lester.
Fundraising and endorsements
Results
Councillors indicates the incumbent candidate
Takapū/Northern Ward The Takapū/Northern ward returned three councillors to the city council.
Wharangi/Onslow-Western Ward The Wharangi/Onslow-Western ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council. Andy Foster was an incumbent in this ward and ran for reelection but his candidacy was superseded by his victory in the mayoral race, and his votes were redistributed according to next preferences.
Pukehīnau/Lambton Ward
The Pukehīnau/Lambton ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council.
Motukairangi/Eastern Ward The Motukairangi-Eastern ward returns three councillors to the Wellington City Council.
Paekawakawa/Southern Ward
The Paekawakawa/Southern ward returns two councillors to the Wellington City Council.
Other local elections Tawa Community Board The Tawa Community Board is made up of 2 councilors along with 6 representatives who are voted in by residents of Tawa, Grenada North and Takapu Valley.
Mākara / Ōhāriu Community Board The Mākara / Ōhāriu Community Board is made up of 6 representatives voted in by residents of Mākara, Mākara Beach and Ōhāriu. Only six candidates ran so all won automatically.
See also 2019 Greater Wellington Regional Council election 2019 Porirua City Council election 2019 Hutt City Council election 2019 Upper Hutt City Council election 2019 Kāpiti Coast District Council election 2019 New Zealand local elections
References