Sitting mayor Neville Pickering was defeated by Citizens' councillor Hamish Hay in a closely fought race with a large turnout.

[2] The final results were not released until 25 October; the following table gives the election results: Prior to the 1971 local elections, a local government commission had recommended that Christchurch amalgamate with some of the small surrounding local authorities and the area be divided into wards for electoral purposes, with the mayor then the only position elected at large.

The Citizens' ticket had also been in favour of introducing wards but tied this to amalgamation going ahead.

Amalgamation did not proceed but the Labour-led council introduced five wards, the maximum number permitted by law, in time for the 1974 local elections.

Prior to that, when 19 councillors were elected at large, seats had just been left vacant.