2018 Opportunities Party leadership election

* * *

|  | 1 to 8 December 2018 |

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|

|  |  |  |

|
|
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Candidate  | Geoff Simmons | Amy Stevens  | Jessica Hammond-Doube
Popular vote  | 678 | 206  | 137
Percentage  | 65.57% | 19.92%  | 13.25%

* * *

|  |
Candidate  | Donna Pokere-Phillips | Anthony Singh
Popular vote  | 11  | 2
Percentage  | 1.06%  | 0.19%

* * *

| Leader before election

Gareth Morgan
Geoff Simmons (interim)

| Leader after election

Geoff Simmons

|

The 2018 Opportunities Party leadership election was held in New Zealand in December 2018 to determine the future leadership of The Opportunities Party (TOP) political party. The election was won by previous deputy leader Geoff Simmons.

## Background

[edit]

See also: The Opportunities Party § Post election developments

TOP was founded in November 2016 by wealthy economist Gareth Morgan to advocate for "a prosperous, fair and equitable society". TOP contested the 2017 general election gaining 2.44% of the vote, but won no seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives.[1] Three months after the election, Morgan resigned as leader of the party but said TOP would contest the 2020 election though he would not lead it.[2]

In August 2018, The Opportunities Party appointed a new board and former deputy leader Geoff Simmons was appointed as an interim leader. The new board embarked on a "listening tour" across the country to gauge supporters reactions and future interest.[3] Additionally, a ballot of party members would be conducted to determine a new party leader.

## Candidates

[edit]

The following party members contested the leadership:[4]

* Jessica Hammond-Doube, TOP candidate for Ohariu in 2017
* Donna Pokere-Phillips, TOP candidate for Hamilton West in 2017
* Geoff Simmons, former deputy leader. Candidate for both Wellington Central in 2017 and Mount Albert in a 2017 by-election.
* Anthony Singh, party member
* Amy Stevens, Auckland lawyer (endorsed by Morgan)[5]

## Result

[edit]

The following table gives the members ballot results:[6]

Candidate  | Votes  | %

|
|

| Geoff Simmons | 678 | 65.57
| Amy Stevens  | 206  | 19.92
| Jessica Hammond-Doube | 137  | 13.25
| Donna Pokere-Phillips | 11  | 1.06
| Anthony Singh  | 2  | 0.19
Majority | 472  | 45.64
Turnout | 1,034  | —

## Aftermath

[edit]

In addition to Simmons being elected leader, fellow leadership contestant Donna Pokere-Phillips was elected in a concurrent election to serve as TOP's membership representative on the party board.[7] In March 2019 Morgan announced his resignation from TOP altogether, Simmons thanked Morgan for creating the party and his subsequent contributions.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Swinnen, Lucy (24 September 2017). "Party 'for a fairer New Zealand' falls flat, as Gareth Morgan's TOP falls far short of 5 per cent". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
2. ^ "TOP loses leader Gareth Morgan and three other candidates in matter of hours". Stuff.co.nz. 14 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
3. ^ The Opportunities Party (21 November 2018). "The Listening Tour: Workshop Results". TOP. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
4. ^ "TOP Leadership Election Candidates announced". Scoop.co.nz. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
5. ^ Tibshraeny, Jenée (30 November 2018). "Gareth Morgan backs newbie Amy Stevens over Geoff Simmons in The Opportunities Party's leadership race". Interest.co.nz. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
6. ^ "Parliamentary Leader Results" (PDF). d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
7. ^ "Member Representative Results" (PDF). d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
8. ^ "Gareth Morgan announces resignation from The Opportunities Party". TVNZ. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2019.