Invercargill Elects New Mayor: Tom Campbell Set to Take Reins

Strategic Insights -

As the local body elections in New Zealand drew to a close on Saturday, October 11, preliminary results have confirmed Tom Campbell as the new Mayor of Invercargill. With 6,815 votes, Campbell secured the top spot, followed closely by Alex Crackett, who received 4,940 votes but was successfully re-elected as a Councillor. Campbell, first elected to the Invercargill City Council in 2022, has held various key roles within the council, including Deputy Chair for several committees. The preliminary results also revealed the return of several Councillors, including Grant Dermody, Trish Boyle, Darren Ludlow, Ria Bond, and Ian Pottinger, as well as the return of former Councillor Marcus Lush.

Key Takeaways:

  • Tom Campbell has been confirmed as the new Mayor of Invercargill with 6,815 votes, securing the top spot.
  • Alex Crackett received 4,940 votes but was successfully re-elected as a Councillor.
  • Campbell has held key roles within the council, including Deputy Chair for the Infrastructure and Projects, Community Wellbeing and Regulatory, Finance and Policy, and Risk and Assurance committees.
  • The preliminary results revealed the return of Councillors Grant Dermody, Trish Boyle, Darren Ludlow, Ria Bond, and Ian Pottinger, as well as former Councillor Marcus Lush.
  • Returning Councillors Steve Broad and Alex Crackett will join the newly elected Council.
  • The Final Results, including 904 Special Votes, are expected to be confirmed later this week.

Statistics:

  • Voter turnout for Invercargill, excluding Special Votes, was 44.77 percent.
  • The number of Special Votes cast increased significantly from 594 in 2022 to 904 in this election.
  • Campbell received 14.5% of the total votes cast, while Crackett received 9.4%.

Sources:

  • Invercargill City Council press release, "Preliminary Election Results"