Elections in the Cook Islands

Last updated

The Cook Islands elects a legislature on a national level. The Parliament of the Cook Islands has 24 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Cook Islands has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties and it is extremely difficult for any other party to achieve electoral success.

Contents

An election was held on 14 June 2018. The Cook Islands Party lost its majority, winning only 10 of 24 seats, but Prime Minister Henry Puna was able to put together a coalition by offering cabinet positions to the One Cook Islands Movement's George Angene and independents Robert Tapaitau and Rose Toki-Brown. [1]

Latest election

Iles Cook Parlement 2022.svg
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Cook Islands Party 3,89044.07+1.7712+2
Democratic Party 2,37726.93-14.985–6
Cook Islands United Party 1,66018.81New3New
One Cook Islands Movement 2372.68-8.1310
Progressive Party of the Cook Islands 180.20New0New
Independents6457.31+3.543+1
Total8,827100.00–240
Source: Parliament of the Cook Islands [2]

By-elections

ElectionDateReasonWinner
1963 European by-election Dick Rapley
1963 Mauke by-election Julian Dashwood
1963 Rarotonga by-election Teupoko'ina Morgan moved to New Zealand David Marama Hosking
1965 Te-Ao-O-Tonga by-election 9 July 1965Resignation of Marguerite Story Albert Henry (CIP)
1966 Mauke by-election Resignation of Julian Dashwood Tupui Henry (CIP)
1977 Takitumu by-election 22 December 1977Death of Tiakana Numanga Iaveta Short (DP)
1978 Mitiaro by-election 5 October 1978Annulment of the general election resultTiki Tetava
1991 Murienua by-election Tom Marsters (CIP)
1994 Ivirua by-election December 1994 Jim Marurai (DAP)
1996 Nikao–Panama by-election July 1996 Ngamau Munokoa (DP)
1999 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election 29 September 1999Invalidation of election resultsNone
2000 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election 28 September 2000Invalidation of 1999 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election. Tiaki Wuatai (NAP)
2002 Penrhyn by-election 27 June 2002Disqualification of Tepure Tapaitau Wilkie Rasmussen (CIP)
2003 Rua’au by-election 14 August 2003Death of Maria Heather Geoffrey Heather (DP)
2003 Arutanga by-election 20 November 2003Resignation of Teina Bishop Teina Bishop (Independent)
2005 Manihiki by-election 8 February 2005Resignation of Robert Woonton Henry Puna (CIP)
2006 Teenui-Mapumai by-election 8 June 2006Retirement of Upoko Simpson Norman George (Independent)
2006 Matavera by-election 19 July 2006Conviction of Vaevae Pare for fraud Kiriau Turepu (CIP)
2006 Akaoa by-election 29 November 2006Previous election produced tied result Teariki Heather (CIP)
2007 Titikaveka by-election 7 February 2007Election of Robert Wigmore declared invalid Robert Wigmore (DP)
2009 Tamarua by-election 3 February 2009Death of Mii Parima Pukeiti Pukeiti (CIP)
2011 Pukapuka by-election 7 June 2011Election of Tekii Lazaro declared invalid Tekii Lazaro (CIP)
2012 Titikaveka by-election 21 June 2012Death of Robert Wigmore Selina Napa (DP)
2013 Tamarua by-election 29 January 2013Death of Pukeiti Pukeiti Tetangi Matapo (DP)
2013 Murienua by-election 19 September 2013Resignation of Tom Marsters Kaota Tuariki (CIP)
2014 Murienua by-election 19 February 2014Resignation of Kaota Tuariki James Beer (DP)
2014 Mitiaro by-election 11 November 2014Draw in the 2014 general election Results not counted due to court order.
2015 Vaipae-Tautu by-election 31 March 20152014 election result voided Moana Ioane (CIP)
2016 Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara by-election 13 October 2016 Teina Bishop convicted of corruption Pumati Israela (OCI)
2017 Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston by-election 17 May 2017Resignation of Albert Nicholas Albert Nicholas (CIP)
2017 Ivirua by-election 17 August 2017Resignation of Jim Marurai Tony Armstrong
2019 Ivirua by-election 21 January 2019Death of Tony Armstrong Agnes Armstrong
March 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election 18 March 2019Defection of Te-Hani Brown from the Democratic Party Te-Hani Brown
November 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election 14 November 2019Resignation of Te-Hani Brown Te-Hani Brown
2021 Manihiki by-election 5 May 2021Resignation of Henry Puna Akaiti Puna (CIP)
2024 Penrhyn by-election 12 March 2024Conviction of Robert Tapaitau for fraud Sarakura Tapaitau

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folketing</span> Parliament of Denmark

The Folketing, also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark—Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Established in 1849, until 1953 the Folketing was the lower house of a bicameral parliament, called the Rigsdag; the upper house was the Landsting. It meets in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Council of Representatives of Iraq</span> Legislature of Iraq

The Council of Representatives, usually referred to simply as the Parliament, is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Iraq. According to the Constitution of Iraq, it is the lower house of the bicameral legislature of the country. As of 2020, it comprises 329 seats and meets in Baghdad inside the Green Zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd McClay</span> New Zealand politician (born 1968)

Todd Michael McClay is a New Zealand politician and former ambassador. He is the Member of Parliament for Rotorua. He was previously an ambassador for the Cook Islands and Niue to the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Cook Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 27 September 2006 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The Democratic Party remained in power, winning 15 of 24 seats. A total of 8,497 voters turned out to vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberal Democrats (UK)</span> British political party

The Liberal Democrats are a political party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1988. The third-largest UK political party, they have 15 members of Parliament in the House of Commons, 84 members of the House of Lords, four Members of the Scottish Parliament, one member in the Welsh Senedd, and over 3,000 local council seats. The Liberal Democrat Conference formulates party policy.

Norman George is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister.

Wilkie Olaf Patua Rasmussen is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. From 2013 to 2015 he was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.

Tangata Mouauri Vavia is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.

Electoral reform is a change in electoral systems which alters how public desires are expressed in election results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Cook Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 17 November 2010 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party, which won 16 of the 24 seats. Voter turnout was 78%.

Robert George Wigmore was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party from 2010 – 2012, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2009 to 2010. He served as a Minister in the Cabinets of Robert Woonton and Jim Marurai.

Teariki William Heather is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet minister who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2013 to 2018. Previously a member of the Cook Islands Party, he is now the leader of the Cook Islands United Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Marsters</span> Cook Islands politician (b.1945)

Sir Tom John Marsters, is the current King's Representative to the Cook Islands. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Foreign Minister, and Deputy Leader of the Cook Islands Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Puna</span> Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum

Henry Tuakeu Puna is a Cook Islands politician. He most recently served as the secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum from May of 2021 to 2024. He was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from November 2010 to October 2020. Since 2006 he has been leader of the Cook Islands Party.

Mona Ioane Kake is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetangi Matapo</span>

Tetangi Matapo is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament. She is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose Toki-Brown</span> Cook Islands politician

Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown is a Cook Islands politician, and Cabinet Minister. In July 2016 she became the Cook Islands' first female Leader of the Opposition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Cook Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 14 June 2018 to elect the 24 members of the 17th Cook Islands Parliament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Tapaitau</span> Cook Islands politician

Robert Taimoe Tapaitau is a former Cook Islands politician, Cabinet Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands who was convicted of fraud and jailed in 2024. He is the son of former Democratic party cabinet minister Tepure Tapaitau.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Cook Islands general election</span>

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 August 2022. A referendum on legalising medical cannabis was held on the same day.

References

  1. ↑ "Cook Islands Cabinet revealed". RNZ. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "The Cook Islands Gazette No. 17/2022" (PDF). Parliament of the Cook Islands. 11 August 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.