On 29 September 1886, Robert Wellwood was elected unopposed as the first mayor of Hastings.

[2] George Ellis was appointed on 21 December 1887 by the Borough Council after Wellwood resigned,[3] and then went on to win unopposed in 1888[4] and 1889.

William Fletcher Burnett defeated third-term incumbent mayor George Ellis.

George Ellis defeated incumbent mayor William Fletcher Burnett.

[10] On 19th November 1894, Cecil Fitzroy was declared elected after facing no challengers for the mayoralty.

Cecil Fitzroy was re-elected, defeating George Ellis.

Former mayor William Dennett was elected, defeating Thomas Thompson and Cecil Fitzroy.

Thomas Thompson defeated incumbent mayor William Dennett.

[59] A by-election was held on 24 November after Lawrence Yule resigned to run for Parliament as the MP for Tukituki.

Incumbent mayor Sandra Hazlehurst faced off against first-term district councillor Damon Harvey.