2013_Hamilton_local_elections_and_referendums

2013 Hamilton local elections and referendums

2013 Hamilton local elections and referendums

2013 elections in Hamilton, New Zealand

In the city of Hamilton, New Zealand, elections were held for the offices of Mayor of Hamilton and twelve members of the Hamilton City Council (HCC) on 12 October 2013. They were held as part of the 2013 New Zealand local elections. Referendums on city water fluoridation and to determine voting method for electing city councillors in the future were held simultaneously. Postal ballots were issued to 97,259 registered voters, and were returned from 23 September to 12 October 2013. Across the city, 37,276 people cast votes, a voter turnout of 38.33%.[1] Some voters chose not to vote in particular elections or referendums, so voter turnout in individual elections varies from this figure.

Quick Facts

Julie Hardaker was re-elected for her second term as mayor with 43.6% of the vote. First past the post (FPP) was used to elect the twelve members of the HCC—six from each of the East and West Wards. FPP was retained over single transferable vote (STV) as the method used to elect city councillors in future elections. A majority voted for the return of city water fluoridation.

Mayor

Main article: 2013 Hamilton mayoral election

Incumbent mayor Julie Hardaker was re-elected with a 2,911-vote majority over Ewan Wilson.

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City council

East Ward

The six candidates with the most votes were elected, shown in the table below by a green tick.

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West Ward

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Referendums

Water fluoridation

Background

Fluoride has been added to drinking water in Hamilton since 1966 to improve dental health. Hamilton sources its water from the Waikato River, which has a fluoride concentration of 0.1–0.3 parts per million (ppm);[3][4] in 2012 fluoride concentration in Hamilton drinking water was 0.7 parts per million.[5] Parts of southern and western Waikato District are also served by the Hamilton city water supply.

In 2006, a binding referendum was held in which 69.46% of voters supported continuation of public water fluoridation, while 30.54% opposed it. The referendum had a voter turnout of 38%.[6] During the draft of the city council's 2011/12 annual plan in February 2011, the termination of water fluoridation was discussed by councillors, but no decision was made.[7] 120 submissions related to water fluoridation were filed for the annual plan in March and April 2011.[8][9] A referendum was planned to coincide with the 2013 local elections, but this was cancelled by the council on 8 June 2012 after taking legal advice that the referendum may not be deemed adequate public consultation.[9] From 28 to 31 May 2013, public hearings were held and attended by councillors,[10] and on 5 June 2013, the city council voted 7–1 (with five abstentions) to cease water fluoridation.[11] The council wrote to Minister of Health Tony Ryall requesting that, as a health issue, water fluoridation be decided by the national government.[12] The cost of water fluoridation was estimated by the city council as $48,000 per year.[3]

Results

More information Choice, Votes ...

Aftermath

On election day, the referendum result was welcomed by both the chief executive and Medical Officer of Health of the Waikato District Health Board.[13] As the referendum was not binding, a council vote was required to restart fluoridation. On 28 November 2013 the HCC delayed its decision pending a legal challenge to the decision by the South Taranaki District to fluoridate water there.[14] The HCC voted 9–1 in favour (3 abstentions) of refluoridating water on 27 March 2014.[15] The lobby group Safe Water Alternative New Zealand (SWANZ) sought an interim order from the High Court to prevent fluoridation until their application for judicial review could be heard. The application for an interim order was dismissed on 27 June 2014.[16] SWANZ removed its application for judicial review on 4 September 2014,[17] ahead of the 9 September hearing.[16]

Voting method

More information Choice, Votes ...

Notes

  1. Compared to 2010 result in the West Ward
  2. Compared to 2010 result in the East Ward

References

  1. [1]
    "Voting statistics". Hamilton City Council. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  2. [2]
    "Hamilton City Council – Final Result" (PDF). Hamilton City Council. 17 October 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 January 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  3. [3]
    "Fluoride Referendum". Hamilton City Council. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. [4]
    "No New Evidence Since 2006 Fluoridation Referendum" (Press release). Waikato District Health Board. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  5. [5]
    Akoorie, Natalie (11 June 2012). "Council axes fluoride referendum". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  6. [6]
    Radio New Zealand (13 May 2006). "Hamilton votes to keep fluoride". Television New Zealand. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. [7]
    Preston, Nikki (11 April 2011). "Fluoride back on agenda". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  8. [8]
    "Record number of Annual Plan submissions received" (Press release). Hamilton City Council. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  9. [9]
    Akoorie, Natalie (11 June 2012). "Council axes fluoride referendum". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  10. [10]
    Mather, Mike (29 May 2013). "Hamilton health experts bare teeth over fluoride in water". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  11. [11]
    Adams, Daniel (5 June 2013). "Fluoride to be removed from Hamilton's water supply". Waikato Times. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  12. [12]
    "Experts 'disappointed' by Hamilton fluoride removal". One News. Television New Zealand. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  13. [13]
    "Hamilton, Whakatane and Hastings want water fluoridated". One News. Television New Zealand. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  14. [14]
    Leaman, Aaron (22 April 2016). "Fluoride-free water on tap in Hamilton". Stuff. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  15. [15]
    Akoorie, Natalie (27 March 2014). "Hamilton votes to restart fluoridation". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  16. [16]
    Smallman, Elton (27 June 2014). "Fluoride to return to Hamilton's water". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  17. [17]
    McRae, Andrew (4 September 2014). "Anti fluoridation group gives up fight". Radio New Zealand News. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
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