Sir Charles John Boyd Norwood was a prominent Wellington New Zealand-based businessman with interests throughout New Zealand and Australia. He was a civic leader, his knighthood was awarded for public services. Founder chairman (1927–1966) of the Wellington Free Ambulance he served on the Wellington City Council from 1917 to 1923 and he was for one term, 1925 to 1927, twenty-second Mayor of Wellington. He was a member of the Wellington Harbour Board for more than 30 years from 1918 to 1935 and from 1938 to 1953 and its chairman from 1931 to 1933.

The 1917 Wellington City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1917, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors, also elected biannually. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.