New Zealand by-elections

By-elections in New Zealand occur to fill vacant seats in the New Zealand Parliament. The death, resignation, or expulsion of a sitting electorate MP can cause a by-election. (Note that list MPs do not have geographic districts for the purpose of provoking by-elections — if a list MP's seat becomes vacant, the next person on his or her party's list fills the position.)

A by-election need not take place if a general election will occur within six months of an electorate seat becoming vacant. In 1996 the general election date was brought forward slightly, to 12 October, to avoid a by-election after the resignation of Michael Laws.

In recent years by-elections have not occurred particularly frequently — only one in the 2002 - 2005 parliamentary term, and none in the 1999 - 2002 term. This is because most MPs who retire mid-term (most recently Labour MP Jim Sutton) are List MPs, and are simply replaced by the next member on their party list.

Historically, however, they have taken place considerably more frequently — the 2nd Parliament of 1856 - 1860, for example, saw at least twenty by-elections, despite the House of Representatives then having only thirty-seven seats.

In the past it was not uncommon for an MP who died in office to be replaced with an immediate family member such as a brother, wife or son. This resulted in the election of the first woman MP Elizabeth McCombs (who was in turn succeeded by her son Terence McCombs) and the first woman National MP Mary Grigg; both of whom took over their husband's seat. This practice has however fallen out of favour since the 1970s.

List of New Zealand by-elections

The following incomplete table lists previous by-elections in New Zealand. Interestingly, it features the names of ten subsequent Prime Ministers (#).

Election	Date	Reason	Winner
1854 City of Auckland by-election	4 August 1854	Resignation of Thomas Houghton Bradley	William Brown
1854 Nelson by-election	19 June 1854	Resignation of William Travers	Samuel Stephens
1854 Waimea by-election	21 June 1854		William Travers
1858 Dunedin Country by-election	16 June 1858	Resignation of William Cargill	John Parkin Taylor
1867 Ashley by-election	7 August 1867	Resignation of Lancelot Walker	Henry Tancred
1872 Egmont by-election	3 October 1872		Harry Atkinson #
1877 Wairarapa by-election	3 July 1877		George Beetham
1885 Southern Maori by-election	10 June 1885	Resignation of Hori Kerei Taiaroa	Tame Parata
1886 Dunedin Central by-election	19 September 1886	Death of James Benn Bradshaw	Thomas Bracken
1888 Ashley by-election	25 July 1888		John Verrall
1892 Bruce by-election	4 May 1892		James Allen (Reform)
1893 Inangahua by-election	8 June 1893		Robert Stout (Liberal) #
1894 Waitemata by-election	9 April 1894	Election of Richard Monk declared invalid	William Massey (Reform) #
1897 Suburbs of Wellington by-election	23 April 1897	Previous election declared void in this seat.	Charles Wilson (Liberal)
1897 Awarua by-election	5 August 1897	Bankruptcy forced resignation of Joseph Ward	Joseph Ward (Liberal) #
1897 City of Dunedin by-election	13 October 1897	Death of Henry Smith Fish	Alexander Sligo (opposition)
1898 Mataura by-election	26 May 1898	Bankruptcy forced resignation of George Frederick Richardson	Robert McNab (Liberal)
1901 Northern Maori by-election	9 January 1901	Bankruptcy forced resignation of Hone Heke Ngapua	Hone Heke Ngapua (Liberal)
1901 Caversham by-election	19 December 1901	Death of Arthur Morrison	Thomas Sidey (Liberal)
1904 Pahiatua by-election	28 July 1904		William Henry Hawkins (Liberal)
1906 Westland by-election	13 July 1906	Death of Richard John Seddon	Tom Seddon (Liberal)
1909 Thames by-election	4 February 1909		Edmund Taylor (Liberal)
1909 Northern Maori by-election	20 March 1909	Death of Hone Heke Ngapua	Te Rangi Hiroa (Peter Buck) (Liberal)
1909 Rangitikei by-election	23 September 1909		Robert William Smith (Liberal)
1910 Auckland East by-election	16 June 1910	Death of Frederick Baume	Arthur Myers (Liberal)
1911 Christchurch North by-election	17 August 1911	Death of T.E. Taylor	Leonard Isitt (Liberal)
1912 Egmont by-election	17 September 1912	Resignation of Thomas Mackenzie	Charles Wilkinson (Reform)
1913 Grey by-election	24 July 1913	Death of Arthur Guinness	Paddy Webb (Social Democrats)
1913 Lyttelton by-election	9 December 1913	Death of George Laurenson	James McCombs (Social Democrats)
1915 Dunedin Central by-election	3 February 1915	Voting irregularities in previous general election led to resignation of Charles Statham	Charles Statham (Reform)
1915 Bay of Islands by-election	8 June 1915		William Stewart (Reform)
1915 Taumaurunui by-election	15 June 1915		William Thomas Jennings (Liberal)
1916 Pahiatua by-election	17 August 1916		George Harold Smith (Reform)
1917 Hawke's Bay by-election	8 March 1917		John Findlay (Liberal)
1917 Bay of Islands by-election	17 March 1917		Vernon Reed (Reform)
1917 Grey by-election	24 November 1917	Resignation of Paddy Webb over conscription issue	Paddy Webb (Labour)
1918 Wellington North by-election	12 February 1918		John Luke (Liberal)
1918 Southern Maori by-election	21 February 1918	Death of Taare Parata	John Uru (Independent)
1918 Grey by-election	29 May 1918	Imprisonment of Paddy Webb	Harry Holland (Labour)
1918 Wellington Central by-election	3 October 1918	Death of Robert Fletcher	Peter Fraser (Labour) #
1918 Taranaki by-election	10 October 1918		Sydney George Smith (Independent)
1918 Palmerston by-election	19 December 1918	Death of David Buick	James Nash (Reform)
1918 Wellington South by-election	19 December 1918		Robert Semple (Labour)
1920 Bruce by-election	14 April 1920		John Edie (Liberal)
1920 Stratford by-election	6 May 1920	Previous result declared void	Robert Masters (Liberal)
1920 Bay of Plenty by-election	30 September 1920	Death of William Donald Stuart MacDonald	Kenneth Stuart Williams (Reform)
1921 Patea by-election	13 April 1921	Death of Walter Dutton Powdrell	Edwin Dixon (Reform)
1921 Auckland East by-election	2 November 1921	Resignation of Arthur Myers	Clutha MacKenzie (Reform)
1922 Southern Maori by-election	25 January 1922	Death of John Hopere Wharewiti Uru	Henare Uru (Reform)
1922 Dunedin North by-election	21 June 1922	Death of Edward Kellett	James Wright Munro (Labour)
1923 Tauranga by-election	28 March 1923	Death of William Herbert Herries	Charles MacMillan (Reform)
1923 Oamaru by-election	1 May 1923	Result in previous election declared invalid	John Macpherson (Liberal)
1925 Franklin by-election	17 June 1925	Death of William Massey	Ewen McLennan (Reform)
1926 Eden by-election	15 April 1926	Appointment of Christopher Parr to the High Commission of New Zealand in London	Rex Mason (Labour)
1927 Raglan by-election	29 September 1927	Death of Richard Bollard	William Lee Martin (Labour)
1929 Bay of Islands by-election	10 April 1929	Previous result declared void	Harold Rushworth (Country)
1929 Hutt by-election	18 December 1929	Resignation of Thomas Mason Wilford	Walter Nash (Labour) #
1930 Parnell by-election	7 May 1930	Resignation of Harry Reginald Jenkins	William Endean (Reform)
1930 Invercargill by-election	13 August 1930	Death of Joseph Ward	Vincent Ward (United)
1930 Waipawa by-election	8 October 1930	Death of George Hunter	Albert Jull (United)
1930 Western Maori by-election	8 October 1930	Death of Maui Pomare	Taite te Tomo (Reform)
1931 Hauraki by-election	27 May 1931	Death of Arthur William Hall	Walter William Massey (Reform)
1932 Southern Maori by-election	3 August 1932	Death of Tuiti Makitanara	Eruera Tirikatene (Independent)
1932 Motueka by-election	1 December 1932	Death of George Black	Keith Holyoake (Reform) #
1933 Lyttelton by-election	13 September 1933	Death of James McCombs	Elizabeth McCombs (Labour)
1933 Buller by-election	22 November 1933	Death of Harry Holland	Paddy Webb (Labour)
1935 Lyttelton by-election	24 July 1935	Death of Elizabeth McCombs	Terry McCombs (Labour)
1936 Manukau by-election	30 September 1936	Resignation of William Joseph Jordan	Arthur George Osborne (Labour)
1939 Christchurch South by-election	3 June 1939	Death of Edwin John Howard	Robert Macfarlane (Labour)
1940 Auckland West by-election	18 May 1940	Death of Michael Joseph Savage	Peter Carr (Labour)
1940 Waipawa by-election	16 November 1940	Death of Albert Jull	Cyril Geoffrey Edmond Harker (National)
1941 Waitemata by-election	19 July 1941	Death of William John Lyon	Mary Manson Dreaver (Labour)
1941 Bay of Plenty by-election	13 December 1941	Death of Gordon Hultquist	William Sullivan (National)
1942 Mid-Canterbury by-election	27 January 1942	Death of Arthur Nattle Grigg	Mary Victoria Cracroft Grigg (National)
1942 Temuka by-election	7 February 1942	Death of Thomas David Burnett	Hugh John Dyke Ackland (National)
1942 Hauraki by-election	7 February 1942	Death of John Manchester Allen	Andrew Sinclair Sutherland (National)
1943 Christchurch East by-election	6 February 1943	Death of Tim Armstrong	Mabel Howard (Labour)
1943 Northern Maori by-election	24 September 1943	Death of Paraire Karaka Paikea	Tapihana Paraire Paikea (Labour)
1944 Awarua by-election	28 October 1944	Death of James Hargest	George Richard Herron (National)
1945 Western Maori by-election	10 February 1945	Death of Haami Tokouru Ratana	Matiu Ratana (Labour)
1945 Hamilton by-election	26 May 1945	Death of Frank Findlay	Grace Hilda Ross (National)
1945 Dunedin North by-election	21 July 1945	Death of James Wright Munro	Robert Walls (Labour)
1946 Raglan by-election	5 March 1946	Death of Robert Coulter	Hallyburton Johnstone (National)
1947 Avon by-election	28 May 1947	Death of Daniel Giles Sullivan	John Mathison (Labour)
1947 Mount Albert by-election	24 September 1947	Death of Arthur Shapton Richards	Warren Freer (Labour)
1947 Westland by-election	3 December 1947	Death of James O'Brien	James Begg Kent (Labour)
1951 Brooklyn by-election	17 February 1951	Death of Peter Fraser	Arnold Nordmeyer (Labour)
1953 Dunedin North by-election	12 December 1953	Death of Robert Walls	Ethel McMillan (Labour)
1953 Onehunga by-election	19 December 1953	Death of Arthur Osborne	Hugh Watt (Labour)
1954 Onslow by-election	7 July 1954	Death of Harry Ernest Combs	Henry May (Labour)
1954 Patea by-election	31 July 1954	Death of Harold Galt Dickie	William Alfred Sheat (National)
1956 Riccarton by-election	27 October 1956	Death of Angus Mclagan	Mick Connelly (Labour)
1957 Bay of Plenty by-election	6 April 1957	Resignation of William Sullivan	Percy Allen (National)
1959 Hamilton by-election	2 May 1959	Death of Grace Hilda Ross	Lancelot (Lance) Adams-Schneider (National)
1961 Hurunui by-election	10 June 1961	Death of William Henry Gillespie	Herbert Elmer Lorraine Pickering (National)
1962 Waitaki by-election	10 March 1962	Death of Thomas Hayman	Allan Dick (National)
1962 Buller by-election	7 July 1962	Death of Jerry Skinner	Bill Rowling (Labour) #
1962 Timaru by-election	21 July 1962	Resignation of Rev. Clyde Carr (who died later in 1962)	Basil Arthur (Labour)
1963 Otahuhu by-election	16 March 1963	Death of James Deas	Bob Tizard (Labour)
1963 Northern Maori by-election	16 March 1963	Death of Tapihana Paraire Paikea	Matiu Rata (Labour)
1963 Grey Lynn by-election	18 May 1963	Death of Fred Hackett	Reginald Alfred Keeling (Labour)
1967 Southern Maori by-election	11 March 1967	Death of Eruera Tirikatene	Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan (Labour)
1967 Fendalton by-election	15 April 1967	Death of Harry Lake	Eric Holland (National)
1967 Petone by-election	15 April 1967	Death of Michael Moohan	Fraser Colman (Labour)
1967 Palmerston North by-election	2 December 1967	Death of William Henry Brown	Joe Walding (Labour)
1967 Eastern Maori by-election	12 December 1967	Death of Puti Tipene Watene	Paraone Reweti (Labour)
1968 Hutt by-election	3 August 1968	Death of Walter Nash	Trevor James Young (Labour)
1970 Marlborough by-election	21 February 1970	Death of Tom Shand	Ian James Brooks (Labour)
1974 Sydenham by-election	2 November 1974	Death of Norman Kirk	John Kirk (Labour)
1976 Nelson by-election	28 February 1976	Death of Stanley Whitehead	Mel Courtney (Labour)
1977 Mangere by-election	26 March 1977	Resignation of Colin Moyle	David Lange (Labour) #
1977 Pahiatua by-election	30 April 1977	Resignation of Sir Keith Holyoake, appointed as Governor-General	John Falloon (National)
1978 Rangitikei by-election	18 February 1978	Death of Roy Jack	Bruce Beetham (Social Credit)
1979 Christchurch Central by-election	18 August 1979	Death of Bruce Barclay	Geoffrey Palmer (Labour) #
1980 Northern Maori by-election	7 June 1980	Resignation of Matiu Rata	Bruce Gregory (Labour)
1980 Onehunga by-election	7 June 1980	Death of Frank Lewis Rogers	Fred Gerbic (Labour)
1980 East Coast Bays by-election	6 September 1980	Appointment of Frank Gill to be Ambassador to the United States	Gary Knapp (Social Credit)
1985 Timaru by-election	15 June 1985	Death of Basil Arthur	Maurice McTigue (National)
1992 Tamaki by-election	15 February 1992	Retirement of Robert Muldoon	Clem Simich (National)
1992 Wellington Central by-election	12 December 1992	Election of sitting MP Fran Wilde to Mayoralty of Wellington, and her resignation	Chris Laidlaw (Labour)
1993 Tauranga by-election	17 April 1993	Resignation of Winston Peters from the National Party	Winston Peters (Independent)
1994 Selwyn by-election	13 August 1994	Resignation of Ruth Richardson	David Carter (National)
1998 Taranaki-King Country by-election	2 May 1998	Resignation of Jim Bolger	Shane Ardern (National)
2004 Te Tai Hauauru by-election	10 July 2004	Resignation of Tariana Turia from the Labour Party	Tariana Turia (Maori Party)

See also

• New Zealand elections
• Elections in New Zealand