Tuakeu Tangatapoto

{{Short description|Cook Islands politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Tuakeu Tangatapoto

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|office2 = Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands

|term_start2 = 9 February 2024

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|predecessor3 = Tai Tura

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|constituency_MP5 = Mitiaro

|parliament5 = Cook Islands

|term_start5 = 14 June 2018

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|predecessor5 = Tangata Vavia

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|birth_date = 4 February 1970

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|party = Cook Islands Party

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}}

Tuakeu Tangatapoto (born 4 February 1970){{cite web |url=https://parliament.gov.ck/team/mr-tuakeu-tangatapoto/ |title=Tuakeu Tangatapoto |publisher=Cook Islands Parliament |access-date=14 August 2022}} is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.

Tangatapoto is from Mangaia and was educated at Mitiaro School, Tereora College, and the University of the South Pacific. He worked as a government builder, acting Island secretary for Mitiaro, and as chief executive of Mitiaro's island government.{{cite web |url=http://cookislandsnews.com/national/outer-islands/item/70489-new-mitiaro-executive-charlie-rani-focused-on-island-agriculture |title=New Mitiaro executive Charlie Rani focused on island agriculture |author=Rashneel Kumar |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=22 August 2018 |accessdate=28 June 2020}}

He contested the seat of Mitiaro in the 2014 election, and gained an exact tie with his rival Tangata Vavia.{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-21/an-cook-islands-pm-returned-to-government-after-late-votes/5612426 |title=Cook Islands elections: Prime Minister Henry Puna returned to government after extra votes counted |publisher=ABC |date=21 July 2014 |accessdate=28 June 2020}} The tie was confirmed by a recount, and a by-election called, but the count was delayed by a court order.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific/259316/cook-islands-by-election-results-on-hold-after-court-challenge |title=Cook Islands by-election results on hold after court challenge |publisher=RNZ |date=13 November 2014 |accessdate=28 June 2020}} The court found that one person had voted illegally in the general election, and as a result Vavia was declared the winner and the by-election votes discarded without being counted.{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2014/12/18/cook-islands-court-confirms-mitiaro-seat-belongs-demos?qt-article_tabs=0 |title=Cook Islands Court Confirms Mitiaro Seat Belongs To Demos |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=18 December 2014 |accessdate=28 June 2020}} Tangatapoto subsequently defeated Vavia in the 2018 election.

He was re-elected at the 2022 Cook Islands general election.{{cite web |url=http://www.mfem.gov.ck/images/documents/Statistics_Docs/Elections/Gaz_Public_Notice_9_Declaration_of_Result_of_Poll.pdf |title=WARRANT DECLARING THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AND THE NUMBER OF VOTES RECEIVED BY EACH CANDIDATE |publisher=Cook Islands Gazette |date=11 August 2022 |access-date=13 August 2022}} In February 2024, Tangatapoto was appointed Deputy Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament.{{cite web |title=Members of Parliament (1958 - present) |url=https://parliament.gov.ck/our-people/members/ |website=parliament.gov.ck |publisher=Parliament of the Cook Islands |access-date=17 May 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Lacanivalu |first1=Losirene |title=New Deputy Speaker and Leader of the House set to be elected |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/internal/national/parliament/new-deputy-speaker-and-leader-of-the-house-set-to-be-elected/ |access-date=17 May 2025 |work=Cook Islands News |date=28 February 2024 |language=en}}