The 1853 New Zealand provincial elections were the first elections in New Zealand to elect members and superintendents to the newly created

Provinces of New Zealand The provinces of the Colony of New Zealand existed as a form of sub-national government. Initially established in 1846 when New Zealand was a Crown colony without responsible government, two provinces (New Ulster and New Munster) were establis ...

. The elections were held between July and September 1853, at the same time as the

1853 New Zealand general election The 1853 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 1st term. It was the first national election ever held in New Zealand, although Parliament did not yet have full authority to gove ...

s for the central government, which were held between July and October. The provincial elections had higher voter turnouts than the general elections, with the elections for provincial superintendents (where they were contested) having the highest voter turnout.

Results

Provincial councils

Auckland

The Auckland Provincial Council was originally made up by 24 members from six electorates: City of Auckland (6), Suburbs of Auckland (4), Pensioner Settlements (4), Northern Division (4), Southern Division (4), and Bay of Islands (2).

New Plymouth

The

New Plymouth Provincial Council ''For the current top-level subdivision of Taranaki in New Zealand, see Taranaki region'' The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Initially known as New Plymouth Province, ...

(with the province later known as

Taranaki Province ''For the current top-level subdivision of Taranaki in New Zealand, see Taranaki region'' The Taranaki Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Initially known as New Plymouth Province, ...

) was originally made up by nine members from three electorates: Town of New Plymouth (2), Grey and Bell (4), and Omata (3).

Wellington

The

Wellington Provincial Council Wellington Province, governed by the Wellington Provincial Council, was one of the provinces of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. It covered much of the southern half of the North Island until November 18 ...

was originally made up by eighteen members from five electorates: City of Wellington (7), Wellington Country (3), Hutt (4), Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay (2), and Wanganui and Rangitikei (2).

Nelson

The Nelson Provincial Council was originally made up by fifteen members from seven electorates: Town of Nelson (5), Waimea East (2), Waimea South (2), Wairau (2), Motueka and Massacre Bay (2), Waimea West (1), and Suburban Districts (1).

Canterbury

The

Canterbury Provincial Council The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. Its capital was Christchurch. History Canterbury was founded in December 1850 by the Canterbury Association of influential Eng ...

was originally made up by twelve members from four electorates: Town of Christchurch (3), Christchurch Country District (4), Town of Lyttelton (3), and Akaroa (2). In Akaroa, there was a draw for second place between Rev. William Aylmer and

William Sefton Moorhouse William Sefton Moorhouse ( 1825 – 15 September 1881) was a British-born New Zealand politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province. Early life Moorhouse was born in Yorkshire, England, and baptised on 18 December 1825; th ...

. The returning officer gave his vote to Aylmer; Moorhouse had a week earlier been elected to the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

beating Rhodes.

Otago

The Otago Provincial Council was originally made up by nine members from two electorates: Town of Dunedin (3) and Dunedin Country District (6).

Superintendent elections

Notes

References

* * {{New Zealand elections Provincial elections Provincial 1853 Provinces of New Zealand