1998 Wellington City mayoral election

The 1998 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1998, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including 18 councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

1998 Wellington City mayoral election

← 1995 10 October 1998 2001 →
Turnout	57,512 (48.46%)
Candidate Mark Blumsky Stephanie Cook Party Independent Alliance Popular vote 33,828 12,918 Percentage 58.81 22.46
Mayor before election Mark Blumsky Elected mayor Mark Blumsky

Background

The election saw incumbent Mayor Mark Blumsky re-elected with a greatly increased majority. However Blumsky did not gain a majority of support on the council with only seven of the "Wellington Alive" ticket elected. Wellington Alive were selection of right-leaning council candidates that were given public endorsement by Blumsky following the dissolution of the decades old Citizens' Association several years earlier.^[1]

Councillor Jack Ruben initially declared to stand, but withdrew to support Stephanie Cook and avoid further splitting the left-wing vote.^[2] Bryan Pepperell, another left leaning candidate stood as well. Cook and Pepperell were re-elected to the council, though Ruben lost his seat.

The 1998 election is the last mayoral election in Wellington's history to date where the successful candidate polled more than half the popular vote. It was also the first time since the 1933 election that the Labour Party did not field a mayoral candidate.

Mayoralty results

The following table gives the election results:

1998 Wellington mayoral election^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mark Blumsky	33,828	58.81	+14.82
	Alliance	Stephanie Cook	12,918	22.46
	Independent	Bryan Pepperell	7,402	12.87	+11.25
	Independent	Rama Ramanathan	1,381	2.40
	Independent	Hugh Baker-Boyd	1,374	2.38
	Independent	Robert Te Whare	609	1.05
Majority			20,910	36.35	+11.84
Turnout			57,512	48.46	−4.64

Ward results

See also: 1998 Wellington City local elections

Candidates were also elected from wards to the Wellington City Council.^[3]

Party/ticket		Councillors
	Wellington Alive	7
	Labour	3
	Greens	2
	Alliance	1
	Independent	5

References

1. Zatorski, Lidia (12 October 1998). "Blumsky romps in, but voters clip council wings". The Evening Post. p. 6.
2. "Cook seeks mayor's job, Ruben ends bid". The Evening Post. 28 August 1998. p. 3.
3. "Wellington City Council – Declaration of Result of Election". The Evening Post. 17 October 1998. p. 22.