The mayor of Hastings is the elected head of local government in the Hastings District of New Zealand's North Island; one of 67 mayors in the country. The principal town of the district (and its namesake) is Hastings. The mayor presides over the Hastings District Council and is directly elected using the first-past-the-post method.
The first mayor was Robert Wellwood, and the current mayor is Wendy Schollum, first elected in the 2025 election.
On 29 September 1886, Robert Wellwood was elected unopposed as the first mayor of Hastings. George Ellis was appointed on 21 December 1887 by the Borough Council after Wellwood resigned, and then went on to win unopposed in 1888 and 1889. Ellis was declared re-elected on 19 December 1888 and 18 December 1889, respectively.
The 1890 mayoral election occurred on 26 November. William Fletcher Burnett defeated third-term incumbent mayor George Ellis.
The 1891 mayoral election occurred on 26 November. George Ellis defeated incumbent mayor William Fletcher Burnett.
George Ellis was re-elected unopposed in 1892 and 1893. He was declared re-elected on 20 November in 1893.
On 19 November 1894, Cecil Fitzroy was declared elected after facing no challengers for the mayoralty.
The 1896 mayoral election occurred circa 26 November. Cecil Fitzroy was re-elected, defeating George Ellis.
Fitzroy was declared re-elected on 23 November after running unopposed.
The 1899 mayoral election occurred on 29 November. William Dennett defeated incumbent Cecil Fitzroy.
The 1901 mayoral election occurred on 15 May. Incumbent mayor William Dennett again defeated former mayor Cecil Fitzroy.
William Dennett was re-elected unopposed in 1902 and 1903.
The 1904 mayoral election occurred on 27 April. William Lane defeated incumbent mayor William Dennett.
The 1905 mayoral election occurred on 25 April. Former mayor William Dennett was elected, defeating Thomas Thompson and Cecil Fitzroy.
The 1906 mayoral election occurred on 25 April. Thomas Thompson defeated incumbent mayor William Dennett.
The 1907 mayoral election occurred on 24 April. Thomas Thompson again defeated William Dennett.
The 1998 mayoral election occurred on 10 October. Jeremy Dwyer was elected to a fifth term.
The 2001 mayoral election occurred on 13 October. Lawrence Yule was elected.
Lawrence Yule was re-elected to his second term unopposed.
The 2007 mayoral election occurred on 13 October. Lawrence Yule was elected to a third term.
The 2010 mayoral election occurred on 9 October. Lawrence Yule was elected to a fourth term.
The 2013 mayoral election occurred on 12 October. Lawrence Yule was elected to a fifth term.
The 2016 mayoral election occurred on 8 October. Lawrence Yule won a sixth term in the role.
A by-election was held on 24 November after Lawrence Yule resigned to run for Parliament as the MP for Tukituki. Acting mayor and third-term councillor Sandra Hazlehurst was elected to the position, becoming the district's first female mayor.
The 2019 mayoral election occurred on 12 October. Incumbent mayor Sandra Hazlehurst faced off against first-term district councillor Damon Harvey.
Sandra Hazlehurst was elected unopposed.