2013 Auckland mayoral election

An election was held for the office of Mayor of Auckland on 12 October 2013. It was one of many triennial local elections that took place in Auckland and throughout New Zealand at the time.

2013 Auckland mayoral election

← 2010 12 October 2013 (2013-10-12) 2016 →
Registered	995,206
Turnout	345,509 (34.72%)
Candidate Len Brown John Palino Party Independent Independent Popular vote 164,338 108,928 Percentage 47.8% 31.7%
Mayor before election Len Brown Elected mayor Len Brown

Background

Incumbent Len Brown appeared at number seven by the City Mayors Foundation's 2012 World Mayor list.^[1]

Candidates

• Len Brown (independent), incumbent mayor^[2]
• John Palino (independent), restaurant manager and former host of television show The Kitchen Job^[3]
• John Minto (Mana Movement), activist^[2]
• Penny Bright (independent), activist^[2]
• Uesifili Unasa (independent), Christian minister^[4]
• David Willmott (Roads First), stood for mayor in 2010^[5]
• Stephen Berry (Affordable Auckland), also candidate for the Waitematā and Gulf ward^[6]
• Jesse Butler^[6]
• Paul Duffy^[6]
• Susanna Kruger (independent)^[6]
• Matthew Goode^[6]
• Annalucia Vermunt (Communist League)^[6]
• Emmett Hussey^[6]
• Phil O'Connor (Christians Against Abortion)^[6]
• Wayne Young, homeless man and protester, stood for mayor in 2010^[6]
• Reuben Shadbolt, son of Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt^[6]
• Julia Parfitt, chair of Hibiscus and Bays local board^[6]

Prospective candidates who did not stand

• Maurice Williamson (National), MP for Pakuranga^[7]
• Cameron Brewer (independent), councillor for the Orākei ward^[8]

Campaign

Brown's priority for the city was the funding and commencement of the City Rail Link, which had 63% public support in June 2009.^[9]

Palino ran on a conservative policy platform, and his campaign was managed by Communities and Residents president and former National Party president John Slater.^[8] He opposed the urban intensification of some Auckland communities, including those on the North Shore,^[10] instead proposing a second central business district model based in Manukau.^[8]

Postal ballots were sent to voters from 20 September.^[11]

Opinion polling

  – Some polls were taken after voting began on 20 September.

Poll source	Date(s)	Sample size	Margin of error	Len Brown	John Palino	John Minto	Uesifili Unasa	Other	None of these/Unsure/Refused
Horizon Research[12]	13–21 June 2013	1,106	±2.8%	36.7%	6.8%	6.7%	—	41.1%	8.7%
			±2.9%	57.4%	42.6%	—	—	—	—
UMR Research[13]	19 August 2013	500	±4.4%	47%	14%	5%	1%	4%	29%
Horizon Research[14]	2 October 2013	1072	±2.9%	38.2%	24.1%	2.8%	1.3%	10.0%	23.6%
Herald on Sunday–Key Research[15]	6 October 2013	514	±4.9%	66%	21%	2%	1%	9%	—
Horizon Research[14]	9 October 2013	1162	±2.8%	38.5%	24.4%	3.5%	1.4%	9.8%	22.6%

Results

2013 Auckland mayoral election^[16][17]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Len Brown	164,338	47.78	−1.46
	Independent	John Palino	108,928	31.67	—
	Affordable Auckland	Stephen Berry	13,650	3.97	—
	Independent	Penny Bright	11,723	3.41	+2.85
	Mana	John Minto	11,591	3.37	—
	Independent	Uesifili Unasa	8,040	2.34	—
	Working for the Homeless	Wayne Young	3,943	1.15	+1.03
	Independent	Reuben Shadbolt	3,152	0.92	—
	Independent	Paul Duffy	3,083	0.90	—
	Christians Against Abortion	Phil O'Connor	3,032	0.88	+0.61
	Independent	Emmett Hussey	2,974	0.86	—
	Independent	Susanna Susara Kruger	2,173	0.63	—
	Independent	Matthew Goode	2,116	0.62	—
	Roads First	David Willmott	1,647	0.48	+0.37
	Independent	Jesse Butler	1,465	0.43	—
	Independent	Tricia Cheel	1,214	0.35	—
	Communist League	Annalucia Vermunt	856	0.25	+0.16
Majority			55,410	16.11	+2.44
Total valid votes			343,925	99.54
Informal votes			1,584	0.46
Turnout			345,509	34.72	−15.45
Registered electors			995,206

By local board

Local boards and wards won by Brown

Local boards and wards won by Palino

Source:^[18]

		Len Brown		John Palino		Stephen Berry		Penny Bright		John Minto		Others[A]		Total
Board	Ward	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#	%	#
Albert–Eden	Albert–Eden–Roskill	12,114	51.98	6,574	28.21	637	2.73	741	3.18	1,335	5.73	1,904	8.17	23,305
Devonport–Takapuna	North Shore	6,418	38.10	7,620	45.23	584	3.47	508	3.02	456	2.71	1,260	7.48	16,846
Franklin	Franklin	7,364	44.24	6,310	37.91	734	4.41	716	4.30	328	1.97	1,194	7.17	16,646
Great Barrier	Waitematā and Gulf	222	50.23	80	18.10	33	7.47	19	4.30	39	8.82	49	11.09	442
Henderson–Massey	Waitākere	10,309	45.26	6,168	27.08	1,154	5.07	991	4.35	906	3.98	3,250	14.27	22,778
Hibiscus and Bays	Albany	8,306	32.85	11,760	46.51	1,180	4.67	1,182	4.68	563	2.23	2,292	9.07	25,283
Howick	Howick	16,549	48.97	11,790	34.89	1,284	3.80	1,027	3.04	485	1.44	2,555	7.58	33,690
Kaipātiki	North Shore	7,673	38.94	7,609	38.61	1,081	5.49	727	3.69	658	3.34	1,959	9.94	19,707
Māngere–Ōtāhuhu	Manukau	9,369	66.55	1,155	8.20	399	2.83	269	1.91	721	5.12	2,166	15.38	14,079
Manurewa	Manurewa–Papakura	9,949	63.87	2,671	17.15	526	3.38	364	2.34	529	3.40	1,534	9.85	15,573
Maungakiekie–Tāmaki	Maungakiekie–Tāmaki	8,616	52.20	4,018	24.34	655	3.97	557	3.37	615	3.73	2,045	12.39	16,506
Orākei	Orākei	9,682	38.69	12,041	48.11	656	2.62	488	1.95	434	1.73	1,725	6.89	25,026
Ōtara–Papatoetoe	Manukau	10,285	68.24	1,539	10.21	464	3.08	310	2.06	568	3.77	1,906	12.65	15,072
Papakura	Manurewa–Papakura	5,476	54.08	2,762	27.28	356	3.52	342	3.38	302	2.98	887	8.76	10,125
Puketāpapa	Albert–Eden–Roskill	6,957	51.98	3,385	25.29	640	4.78	471	3.52	467	3.48	1,464	10.94	13,384
Rodney	Rodney	5,119	34.65	6,110	41.35	818	5.54	753	5.10	498	3.37	1,477	10.17	14,775
Upper Harbour	Albany	3,869	33.07	5,308	45.37	688	5.88	462	3.95	241	2.06	1,131	9.67	11,699
Waiheke	Waitematā and Gulf	2,098	59.00	677	19.04	108	3.04	154	4.33	234	6.58	285	8.01	3,556
Waitākere Ranges	Waitākere	6,179	49.95	3,239	26.18	517	4.18	545	4.41	629	5.08	1,261	10.19	12,370
Waitematā	Waitematā and Gulf	9,108	56.76	4,163	25.94	393	2.45	437	2.72	847	5.28	1,099	6.85	16,047
Whau	Whau	8,676	50.99	3,949	23.21	743	4.37	660	3.88	696	4.09	2,292	13.47	17,016
Total		164,338	47.78	108,928	31.67	13,650	3.97	11,723	3.41	11,591	3.37	33,695	9.80	343,925

Notes

1. Excludes informal votes

References

1. "Len Brown one of world's best mayors". Auckland Now. Fairfax New Zealand. 8 January 2013. Archived from the original on 11 January 2013.
2. Orsman, Bernard (18 July 2013). "Split vote could lead to close mayoral contest". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
3. "John Palino to contest Auckland mayoralty". 3 News. MediaWorks New Zealand. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
4. Harvey, Sarah (1 July 2013). "Samoan minister to challenge for Auckland mayoralty". Stuff.co.nz. Archived from the original on 20 March 2019.
5. "The race begins for the Auckland supercity". Manujau Courier. Fairfax New Zealand. 21 September 2010. Archived from the original on 28 May 2020.
6. Whiteacre, Charlotte (20 August 2013). "Auckland mayoral race – who are the candidates?". 3 News. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
7. "Williamson won't run for Auckland mayor". The New Zealand Herald. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
8. Orsman, Bernard (1 October 2013). "Super City elections 2013: The front runners - John Palino". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
9. Orsman, Bernard (1 October 2013). "Super City elections 2013: The front runners - Len Brown". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
10. Hallahan, Marnie (30 May 2015). "Palino notes North Shore's concerns". North Shore Times. Fairfax New Zealand. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
11. "Voting opens for 2013 local government elections" (Press release). Local Government New Zealand. 19 September 2013. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
12. "Palino closes on Brown among definite voters in Auckland Mayoralty race". Horizon Research. 16 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
13. Garner, Duncan (19 August 2013). "Auckland mayoralty polling". Radio Live. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
14. "Brown-Palino gap 15.8%: Horizon's call 14%". Horizon Research. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 21 June 2015.
15. Blackstock, Russell (6 October 2013). "Palino narrows gap on Brown". Herald on Sunday. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
16. "2013 election results" (PDF). Auckland Council. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
17. "Voting Document Returns – 2013 Elections" (PDF). Auckland Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
18. "Final Result by Local Board" (PDF). Auckland Council. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 31 May 2015.