1986 Dunedin mayoral election
# 1986 Dunedin mayoral election

The 1986 Dunedin mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1986, elections were held for the Mayor of Dunedin plus other local government positions,including twelve city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

## Background

Mayor Cliff Skeggs was re-elected for a record fourth term. Skeggs split from the Citizens' ticket but was re-elected as an independent candidate. Councillor Bill Christie stood as the official Citizens' candidate, polling third, with Labour's Steve Alexander placing second.

Electoral reforms were implemented at the 1986 municipal elections, the method of electing councillors at large which had been used for decades was replaced with a ward system of local electoral districts.

## Results

The following table shows the results for the election:

1986 Dunedin mayoral election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Cliff Skeggs | 12,871 | 50.15 | -17.03 |
| | Labour | Steve Alexander | 7,064 | 27.52 | |
| | Citizens' | Bill Christie | 5,277 | 20.56 | |
| | Independent | Murray Menzies | 269 | 1.04 | -2.69 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 179 | 0.69 | -0.65 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,807 | 22.63 | -16.82 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,660 | | |

### Results by ward

Cliff Skeggs polled the highest in all four of Dunedin's electoral wards.

* Wards won by Skeggs

| | Cliff Skeggs | Cliff Skeggs | Steve Alexander | Steve Alexander | Bill Christie | Bill Christie | Others | Others | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ward | # | % | # | % | # | % | # | % | # |
| Central | 3,052 | 51.01 | 1,620 | 27.07 | 1,216 | 20.32 | 95 | 1.58 | 5,983 |
| East | 3,409 | 51.17 | 1,793 | 26.91 | 1,357 | 20.37 | 102 | 1.53 | 6,661 |
| North | 3,201 | 44.56 | 2,268 | 31.57 | 1,521 | 21.17 | 192 | 2.67 | 7,182 |
| West | 2,728 | 56.01 | 1,163 | 23.88 | 932 | 19.13 | 47 | 0.96 | 4,870 |
| Total | 12,871 | 50.15 | 7,064 | 27.52 | 5,277 | 20.56 | 448 | 1.73 | 25,660 |

## Ward results

Candidates were also elected from wards to the Dunedin City Council.

| Party/ticket | Councillors |
| - | - |
| Citizens' | 7 |
| Labour | 4 |
| Independent | 1 |
