New Zealand Election History

Find out more about election days in new zealand.

New zealand election history. The first election under the mixed member proportional mmp. For most of its history as a nation state new zealand has had some form of elected government. The first general and provincial elections in new zealand took place in 1853 the year after the british parliament passed the new zealand constitution act 1852.

The new zealand electoral system has been mixed member proportional mmp since 1996. The table below provides date and participation information for every new zealand general election. Date of general election 1.

The house of representatives. Initially new zealand used the first past the post electoral system. Mmp was introduced after a referendum in 1993 mmp replaced the first past the post fpp system new zealand had previously used for most of its history.

For such a symbolic moment the events of 14 july offered little drama the first member of new zealand s inaugural parliament hugh carleton was elected unopposed at russell in the bay of islands. A brief history of new zealand politics posted on 23 09 2020 by lauren roitman following jacinda ardern s overwhelming victory in the recent new zealand election we thought it appropriate to give you our own rough guide to new zealand elections. See the electoral commission website for the results of elections held since 1890.

Voters elected 120 members to the house of representatives under new zealand s mixed member proportional mmp voting system a proportional. Edward stafford new zealand s youngest leader was william fox s great rival and a more stable influence on early colonial government. New zealand s parliament dates back to 1854 just 14 years after the signing of the treaty of waitangi and the beginning of the european settlement of the country.

The son of a landed irish family stafford began farming sheep in new zealand 1843 was elected superintendent of nelson province 1853 and representative from nelson to the general assembly 1855 and. The 2008 new zealand general election was held on 8 november 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th new zealand parliament the liberal conservative national party headed by its parliamentary leader john key won the largest share of votes and seats ending nine years of government by the social democratic labour party led by helen clark key announced a week later that he would lead a. Women s suffrage was introduced in 1893 with new zealand being the first modern country to do so.