Elections in the Cook Islands

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.

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/361512/cook-islands-cabinet-revealed |title=Cook Islands Cabinet revealed |publisher=RNZ |date=11 July 2018 |access-date=21 July 2020}}

Latest election

By-elections

class=wikitable !Election !Date !Reason !colspan=2\|Winner
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 1965 \|Resignation of Marguerite Story \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Albert Henry (CIP)
1966 Mauke by-election \| \|Resignation of Julian Dashwood \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Tupui Henry (CIP)
1977 Takitumu by-election	22 December 1977	Death of Tiakana Numanga	bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Iaveta Short (DP)
1978 Mitiaro by-election	5 October 1978	Annulment of the general election result		Tiki Tetava
1991 Murienua by-election \| \| \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Tom Marsters (CIP)
1994 Ivirua by-election \|December 1994 \| \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Jim Marurai (DAP)
1996 Nikao–Panama by-election \|July 1996 \| \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Ngamau Munokoa (DP)
1999 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election \|29 September 1999 \| Invalidation of election results \|	None
2000 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election \|28 September 2000 \| Invalidation of 1999 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election. \|	Tiaki Wuatai (NAP)
2002 Penrhyn by-election \|27 June 2002 \| Disqualification of Tepure Tapaitau \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Wilkie Rasmussen (CIP)
2003 Rua’au by-election \|14 August 2003 \| Death of Maria Heather \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Geoffrey Heather (DP)
2003 Arutanga by-election \|20 November 2003 \| Resignation of Teina Bishop \|bgcolor={{party color\|Independent}}\|	Teina Bishop (Independent)
2005 Manihiki by-election \|8 February 2005 \| Resignation of Robert Woonton \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Henry Puna (CIP)
2006 Teenui-Mapumai by-election \|8 June 2006 \| Retirement of Upoko Simpson \|bgcolor={{party color\|Independent}}\|	Norman George (Independent)
2006 Matavera by-election \|19 July 2006 \|Conviction of Vaevae Pare for fraud \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Kiriau Turepu (CIP)
2006 Akaoa by-election \|29 November 2006 \|Previous election produced tied result \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Teariki Heather (CIP)
2007 Titikaveka by-election \|7 February 2007 \|Election of Robert Wigmore declared invalid \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Robert Wigmore (DP)
2009 Tamarua by-election \|3 February 2009 \|Death of Mii Parima \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Pukeiti Pukeiti (CIP)
2011 Pukapuka by-election \|7 June 2011 \|Election of Tekii Lazaro declared invalid \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Tekii Lazaro (CIP)
2012 Titikaveka by-election \|21 June 2012 \|Death of Robert Wigmore \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Selina Napa (DP)
2013 Tamarua by-election \|29 January 2013 \|Death of Pukeiti Pukeiti \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Tetangi Matapo (DP)
2013 Murienua by-election \|19 September 2013 \|Resignation of Tom Marsters \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Kaota Tuariki (CIP)
2014 Murienua by-election \|19 February 2014 \|Resignation of Kaota Tuariki \|bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	James Beer (DP)
2014 Mitiaro by-election \|11 November 2014 \|Draw in the 2014 general election \|bgcolor=#EEEEEE\|	Results not counted due to court order.
2015 Vaipae-Tautu by-election \|31 March 2015 \|2014 election result voided \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Moana Ioane (CIP)
2016 Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara by-election \|13 October 2016 \| Teina Bishop convicted of corruption \|bgcolor={{party color\|One Cook Islands Movement}}\|	Pumati Israela (OCI)
2017 Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston by-election \|17 May 2017 \|Resignation of Albert Nicholas \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Albert Nicholas (CIP)
2017 Ivirua by-election \|17 August 2017 \| Resignation of Jim Marurai \| bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Tony Armstrong
2019 Ivirua by-election \|21 January 2019 \| Death of Tony Armstrong \| bgcolor={{party color\|Democratic Party (Cook Islands)}}\|	Agnes Armstrong
March 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election \|18 March 2019 \| Defection of Te-Hani Brown from the Democratic Party \|bgcolor={{party color\|Independent}}\|	Te-Hani Brown
November 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election \|14 November 2019 \| Resignation of Te-Hani Brown \|bgcolor={{party color\|Independent}}\|	Te-Hani Brown
2021 Manihiki by-election \|5 May 2021 \| Resignation of Henry Puna \|bgcolor={{party color\|Cook Islands Party}}\|	Akaiti Puna (CIP)
2024 Penrhyn by-election \|12 March 2024 \| Conviction of Robert Tapaitau for fraud \|bgcolor={{party color\|Independent}}\|	Sarakura Tapaitau

Elections in the Cook Islands

Latest election

By-elections

See also

References