1981 Tuvaluan general election
{{Infobox election
| type = Parliamentary
| country = Tuvalu
| seats_for_election = All 12 seats in the Parliament of Tuvalu
| previous_year = 1977
| previous_election = 1977 Tuvaluan general election
| next_year = 1985
| next_election = 1985 Tuvaluan general election
| election_date = 8 September 1981
| party1 = Independents
| seats1 = 12
| title = Prime Minister{{0|0000000}}
| before_election = Toaripi Lauti
| posttitle = Subsequent
Prime Minister
| after_election = Tomasi Puapua
}}{{Politics of Tuvalu}}
General elections were held in Tuvalu on 8 September 1981.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p829 {{ISBN|0-19-924959-8}} Voter turnout was 85%.
Campaign
A total of 26 candidates contested the 12 seats. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents.{{cite web| work=Inter-Parliamentary Union|title=Palamene o Tuvalu (Parliament of Tuvalu)|url= http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/TUVALU_1981_E.PDF| access-date=7 March 2013}}
In Nanumea one candidate, Telavi Faati, called for the island be independent.{{cite web| last =| first = | website = Pacific Islands Monthly |page=31|title= Tuvalu holding its elections |date = August 1981|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-342060542/view?partId=nla.obj-342088412#page/n30/mode/1up | accessdate=16 October 2021}}
Results
Eight of the twelve incumbent MPs retained their seats, with two ministers losing theirs.{{cite web| last =| first = | website = Pacific Islands Monthly |page=33|title= Tuvalu's turn for a change of PM |date = November 1981|url= https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-342116375/view?partId=nla.obj-342133266#page/n32/mode/1up | accessdate=16 October 2021}}
{{Election results
|party1=Independents|votes1=|seats1=12|sc1=0
|total_sc=0
|totalvotes=2862
|electorate=3368
|source=Nohlen et al.
}}
Aftermath
Tomasi Puapua was elected Prime Minister with a 7–5 majority over the group a members of parliament headed by former Prime Minister Toaripi Lauti.{{cite journal|first=Barrie|last= Macdonald |title = Tuvalu: The 1981 General Election |year= 1983|volume= 35 |journal= Political Science |pages=71–77|doi= 10.1177/003231878303500105 }} Puapua appointed a five-member cabinet, keeping the portfolios of foreign affairs and local government for himself. Henry Naisali became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lale Seluka was appointed Minister for Commerce and Natural Resources, Falaile Pilitati became Minister for Social Services and Solomona Tealofi was appointed Minister for Works and Communications.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Tuvaluan elections}}
Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results