The 1980 Wellington mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1980, election were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including eighteen city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.
The election saw Michael Fowler returned as mayor for a third term as well as the introduction of a third party to contest control of the council. The Rates Reform ticket debuted to challenge the long established council duopoly between the Labour and Citizens' tickets. Founded in early 1979, the Rates Reform group accused local bodies of excessive spending and wanted a cessation to rates increases funded by cutting services and council staff. The group performed poorly however with all candidates receiving far fewer votes than the other tickets' candidates. By the following election the Rates Reform group had merged into the Citizens Association and two of their 1980 candidates (Ruth Gotlieb and Bryan Weyburne) were elected as councillors.