New Zealand by-elections
From Free net encyclopedia
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 recent years by-elections have not occurred particularly frequently — only one in the 2002 - 2005 parliamentary term, and none in the 1999 - 2002 term. 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.
The following incomplete table lists previous by-elections in New Zealand. Interestingly, it features the names of at least four subsequent Prime Ministers.
See also: New Zealand elections