Wikipedia

2026 Dunedin City Council by-election

The 2026 Dunedin City Council by-election was a local by-election held on 12 May 2026 in Dunedin, New Zealand, that was prompted by the death of councillor Jules Radich on 4 January 2026. Voters elected one member to the Dunedin City Council representing the city at-large. Postal voting and the single transferable vote system were used.

2026 Dunedin City Council by-election
← 2025
12 May 2026
2028 →
Turnout31,629 (33.31% Decrease 12.08 pp)[1]
 
Candidate Jo Galer Aaron Hawkins Conrad Stedman
Affiliation Independent Independent Independent
Primary vote 5,527 7,740 4,722
Percentage 17.47% 24.47% 14.93%
Final vote 10,201 10,112 eliminated
Percentage 50.22% 49.78%
 
Candidate Andrew Whiley Lync Aronson Bill Acklin
Affiliation Independent Independent Independent
Primary vote 4,472 1,989 1,635
Percentage 14.14% 6.29% 5.17%
Final vote eliminated eliminated eliminated
Councillor before election

Jules Radich†
Independent

 Elected Councillor

Jo Galer
Independent

Jo Galer narrowly defeated former mayor Aaron Hawkins by just 89 votes. She will serve for the remainder of the 2025–2028 term.

Schedule

edit

Key dates related to the by-election are:[2][3]

  • 2 March 2026: Nominations close
  • 10 April 2026: Voting opens
  • 12 May 2026: Polling day – voting closes midday

Background

edit
Dunedin City boundaries with urban areas shown in orange

The by-election was triggered by the death of sitting Councillor and former Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich from a heart attack on 4 January 2026.[4][5]

Cost

edit

The election is estimated to cost the council around $400,000, with costs dependent on factors including the number of candidates.[6]

Campaign

edit

According to the Otago Daily Times, key issues for candidates were managing Dunedin City Council's rising rates and the general cost of living.[7]

In late March 2026, Otago Institute for the Arts and Sciences president Dr Barbara Anderson interviewed 14 by-election candidates on the Institute's podcast on Otago Access Radio (OAR). 13 of these interviews were published on the radio station's website on 2 April.[8][9] Candidate Jo Galer sought to re-record her answer to a question regarding the role of mana whenua (local Māori groups with customary authority and rights) in local governance within a Treaty of Waitangi context. Anderson initially declined to allow her to re-record the interview but relented due to Galer's insistence and after consulting with the radio station's manager. Following a dispute with Anderson over her alleged left-wing bias and threatening legal action against OAR, Galer withdrew her consent for the interview to be published.[8]

The first public meeting for by-election candidates was held at St Peter's Church Hall in Caversham by the Dunedin Area Citizens Association on 15 April. The meeting featured nine candidates Conrad Stedman, Andrew Whiley, Carmen Houlahan, Garreth Ottley, Angus Mackay, Lync Aronson, Angela McErlane, Lianna MacFarlane and Jo Galer, and was attended by 40 members of the public. Topics covered during the public meeting included finance, transportation, infrastructure, Dunedin's debt, assets sales, the Smooth Hill landfill and wastewater solutions in Surrey Street.[10]

A second public meeting was held at the University of Otago by the Otago University Students' Association on 16 April. This meeting featured four candidates Aaron Hawkins, Andrew Whiley, Bill Acklin and Richard Knights, and focused on university-City Council relations, transport infrastructure and landlords. Galer criticised the selection of the candidates as "limited." In response, the OUSA political representative Flynn Nisbett justified the smaller selection of candidates on the grounds that the candidate forum during the 2025 Dunedin City Council election provided "little insight" into candidates' plans.[11]

A third public meeting was held at the Taieri Bowling Club in Mosgiel by the Dunedin Area Citizens Association on 16 April. The meeting featured Stedman, Whiley, Ottley, Mackay, Aronson, MacFarlane and Galer. Topics covered at this meeting included debt, a proposed heavy transport bypass for Mosgiel, and the proposed Smooth Hill landfill.[11]

A candidates event organised by Business South took place at the Otago Museum on 5 May. The event was attended by ten candidates including Hawkins, Acklin, Knights, Whiley, Houlahan, Galer, MacFarlane, Mackay, Stedman and Aronson. It focused on the city's finances, leadership, community initiatives, growth opportunities and the Government's recent three-month deadline for local councils to present amalgamation plans.[12]

Candidates

edit

Former mayor Aaron Hawkins announced his intention to stand in February as an independent candidate.[2][13] Former city councillors Carmen Houlahan, Andrew Whiley,[14] Bill Acklin and Conrad Stedman also stood.[3][15] Other candidates included Jo Galer, Lync Aronson, Richard Knights, Pamela Taylor, Lianne MacFarlane and Garreth Ottley.[2][16] The Green Party, Labour Party and ACT Party did not endorse a candidate in the election.[16] Fourteen candidates registered by the nomination deadline of 2 March.[17]

List

edit
Candidates[17][18] Affiliation Notes
Bill Acklin Independent Candidate in the 2025 election. Dunedin City Councillor 2004–2013 and 2022–2025[3][19]
Lync Aronson Independent Candidate in the 2025 election[2]
Gordon Dickson None
Jo Galer Independent Candidate in the 2025 election[2] Campaigned on a platform of prioritising basic infrastructure, capping rates, and stopping cycleways.[20]
Aaron Hawkins Independent Former Green mayor of Dunedin from 2019–2022[2][13]
Carmen Houlahan Independent Candidate in the 2025 election. Dunedin City Councillor from 2019 to 2025[21][14]
Richard Knights None Candidate in the 2025 election[2]
Lianna MacFarlane Independent Candidate in the 2025 election. Saddle Hill Community Board member from 2025[16]
Angus MacKay Independent
Angela McErlane None Incumbent West Harbour Community Board member[22]
Garreth Ottley None [16]
Conrad Stedman None Candidate in the 2025 election. Dunedin City Councillor from 2016 to 2019[3][15]
Pamela Taylor None Candidate in the 2022[citation needed] and 2025 elections[2]
Andrew Whiley None Candidate in the 2025 election. Dunedin City Councillor from 2013 to 2025[14]

Endorsements

edit

The Otago Daily Times reported on 10 March that councillors Steve Walker, Christine Garey, and Mickey Treadwell had endorsed former mayor Aaron Hawkins; councillors Andrew Simms, Lee Vandervis, and Russell Lund had endorsed former councillor Conrad Stedman. Benedict Ong declined to endorse any candidates, saying that none of them aligned with "his key priorities of economic development, financial growth and student well-being."[23]

The winning candidate Jo Galer was endorsed by councillors Vandervis and Lund. She campaigned on a platform of prioritising basic infrastructure including in South Dunedin, capping rates and stopping cycleways.[20]

Results

edit

Voting ballots began arriving in the mail from 10 April, with 12 May being designated as the final day of voting. By 25 April, 10,214 votes (10.78%) had been returned. Mayor of Dunedin Sophie Barker attributed the low voter turnout to the by-election being overshadowed by the upcoming 2026 New Zealand general election but added that Dunedin "had a reputation as a city of late voters," with about 25% of votes being cast on the final day of the voting period during the 2025 Dunedin City Council election.[24]

Progress results were released after polls closed on 12 May; Jo Galer had a comfortable lead.[20][25] Preliminary results were released at 5:30pm on 13 May; Galer was still ahead but with a narrower margin.[26] Final results released on 14 May, Galer's lead decreased even further to only 89 votes. The total voter turnout for the by-election was 33.31% (31,629 voting papers, including special votes).[1]

2026 Dunedin City Council by-election[1]
Affiliation Candidate Primary Vote % +/− Iteration vote
Independent Jo Galer 5,527 17.47 +16.53 #13 10,201
Independent Aaron Hawkins 7,740 24.47 (new) #13 10,112
Independent Conrad Stedman 4,722 14.93 +13.87 #12 7,447
Independent Andrew Whiley 4,472 14.14 +12.55 #11 5,724
Independent Lync Aronson 1,989 6.29 +4.96 #10 2,722
Independent Bill Acklin 1,635 5.17 +3.77 #9 1,964
Independent Carmen Houlahan 1,461 4.62 +3.23 #8 1,773
Independent Richard Knights 1,299 4.11 +3.15 #7 1,469
Independent Lianna MacFarlane 855 2.70 +1.96 #6 985
Independent Angus Mackay 736 2.33 (new) #5 793
Independent Ange McErlane 655 2.07 (new) #4 680
Independent Pamela Taylor 200 0.63 +0.36 #3 208
Independent Gareth Ottley 160 0.51 (new) #2 163
Independent Gordon Dickson 53 0.17 (new) #1 53
Quota 15,752 49.80 #13 10,157
Informal 99 0.31 −1.02
Blank 26 0.08 −0.90
Turnout 31,629 (33.31) −12.08
Registered 94,945[27]
Independent gain from Independent

Aftermath

edit

Following the release of final results on 14 May, the runner-up candidate and former Mayor Aaron Hawkins accused the by-election winner Jo Galer of running a "smear campaign." He took issue with a campaign advertisement by Galer and Councillor Russell Lund alleging that $35 million in funding for stormwater upgrades in the Dunedin area had "disappeared" during his mayoral term in 2021. Hawkins countered that that the statement was inaccurate and contended that the Dunedin City Council had significantly increased the budget for water infrastructure and accelerated some work. In response, Galer and Lund defended their campaign statements, with the former stating: "If he sees that as a smear campaign, well, that's his prerogative, but that's not what was intended by it" and Lund stating that Galer's campaign "dealt in facts."[28]

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. 1 2 3 Morton, Anthony (14 May 2026). "2026 Council By-election – Declaration of Result" (PDF). Dunedin City Council.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Miller, Grant (8 February 2026). "'Leadership ready to go': Aaron Hawkins announces by-election bid". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Shaw, Ruby (20 February 2026). "Bid for council seat 'bitter-sweet'". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Miller, Grant; Shaw, Ruby (4 January 2026). "Former Dunedin mayor Jules Radich dies". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 4 January 2026. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Smith-Soppet, Molly (22 February 2026). "By-Election brings Old Worms out of the Woodwork". Critic Te Ārohi (1, 20226).
  6. ↑ Miller, Grant (15 January 2026). "Byelection cost could reach $400k, voting to being in April". Otago Daily Times.
  7. ↑ Shaw, Ruby (7 April 2026). "Candidates take aim at rates, rising costs". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  8. 1 2 Shaw, Ruby (22 April 2026). "Threats and a hissy fit: by-election heats up". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "OI Podcast Local By-Election Interviews". Otago Access Radio. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Shaw, Ruby (15 April 2026). "Candidates grilled at by-election meeting". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  11. 1 2 Miller, Grant; Shaw, Ruby (16 April 2026). "Call for more accountability for ratepayers". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  12. ↑ Littlewood, Matthew (6 May 2026). "Govt's edict a surprise for candidates". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 14 May 2026.
  13. 1 2 Smith, Sam (8 February 2026). "Former Dunedin mayor announces 'unexpected' candidacy for council by-election". Stuff. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  14. 1 2 3 Miller, Grant (13 February 2026). "Andrew Whiley joins race for vacant Dunedin council seat". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  15. 1 2 Miller, Grant (6 February 2026). "Two more candidates put hats in ring". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 February 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Miller, Grant (27 February 2026). "Two more declare candidacy for by-election". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Nominations received". www.dunedin.govt.nz. Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  18. ↑ "View the 2026 by-election candidates". www.dunedin.govt.nz. Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "Galer, Acklin to contest by-election". Otago Daily Times Online News. 4 February 2026. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  20. 1 2 3 Shaw, Ruby; Miller, Grant (12 May 2026). "Jo Galer on track to win Dunedin by-election". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 12 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "Four new faces on Dunedin council". Otago Daily Times Online News. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  22. ↑ Harwood, Brenda; Henderson, Sam (6 November 2025). "Community board members welcomed at inaugural meetings". The Star. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  23. ↑ Shaw, Ruby (10 March 2026). "Councillors put Hawkins, Stedman top". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  24. ↑ Shaw, Ruby (25 April 2026). "Slow start to voting in council by-election". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Morton, Anthony (12 May 2026). "2026 Council By-election – Progress Result" (PDF). Dunedin City Council.
  26. ↑ Morton, Anthony (13 May 2026). "2026 Council By-election – Preliminary Result" (PDF). Dunedin City Council.
  27. ↑ "Election Returns". Dunedin City Council. 14 May 2026.
  28. ↑ Shaw, Ruby (15 May 2026). "Hawkins lashes out at 'smear campaign' after loss". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2026_Dunedin_City_Council_by-election&oldid=1359400890"