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.^[1]

Latest election



Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Cook Islands Party	3,890	44.07	+1.77	12	+2
	Democratic Party	2,377	26.93	-14.98	5	–6
	Cook Islands United Party	1,660	18.81	New	3	New
	One Cook Islands Movement	237	2.68	-8.13	1	0
	Progressive Party of the Cook Islands	18	0.20	New	0	New
	Independents	645	7.31	+3.54	3	+1
Total		8,827	100.00	–	24	0

Source: ^[2]

By-elections

Election	Date	Reason
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	Albert Henry (CIP)
1966 Mauke by-election		Resignation of Julian Dashwood	Tupui Henry (CIP)
1977 Takitumu by-election	22 December 1977	Death of Tiakana Numanga	Iaveta Short (DP)
1978 Mitiaro by-election	5 October 1978	Annulment of the general election result	Tiki Tetava
1991 Murienua by-election			Tom Marsters (CIP)
1994 Ivirua by-election	December 1994		Jim Marurai (DAP)
1996 Nikao–Panama by-election	July 1996		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	Wilkie Rasmussen (CIP)
2003 Rua’au by-election	14 August 2003	Death of Maria Heather	Geoffrey Heather (DP)
2003 Arutanga by-election	20 November 2003	Resignation of Teina Bishop	Teina Bishop (Independent)
2005 Manihiki by-election	8 February 2005	Resignation of Robert Woonton	Henry Puna (CIP)
2006 Teenui-Mapumai by-election	8 June 2006	Retirement of Upoko Simpson	Norman George (Independent)
2006 Matavera by-election	19 July 2006	Conviction of Vaevae Pare for fraud	Kiriau Turepu (CIP)
2006 Akaoa by-election	29 November 2006	Previous election produced tied result	Teariki Heather (CIP)
2007 Titikaveka by-election	7 February 2007	Election of Robert Wigmore declared invalid	Robert Wigmore (DP)
2009 Tamarua by-election	3 February 2009	Death of Mii Parima	Pukeiti Pukeiti (CIP)
2011 Pukapuka by-election	7 June 2011	Election of Tekii Lazaro declared invalid	Tekii Lazaro (CIP)
2012 Titikaveka by-election	21 June 2012	Death of Robert Wigmore	Selina Napa (DP)
2013 Tamarua by-election	29 January 2013	Death of Pukeiti Pukeiti	Tetangi Matapo (DP)
2013 Murienua by-election	19 September 2013	Resignation of Tom Marsters	Kaota Tuariki (CIP)
2014 Murienua by-election	19 February 2014	Resignation of Kaota Tuariki	James Beer (DP)
2014 Mitiaro by-election	11 November 2014	Draw in the 2014 general election	Results not counted due to court order.
2015 Vaipae-Tautu by-election	31 March 2015	2014 election result voided	Moana Ioane (CIP)
2016 Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara by-election	13 October 2016	Teina Bishop convicted of corruption	Pumati Israela (OCI)
2017 Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston by-election	17 May 2017	Resignation of Albert Nicholas	Albert Nicholas (CIP)
2017 Ivirua by-election	17 August 2017	Resignation of Jim Marurai	Tony Armstrong
2019 Ivirua by-election	21 January 2019	Death of Tony Armstrong	Agnes Armstrong
March 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election	18 March 2019	Defection of Te-Hani Brown from the Democratic Party	Te-Hani Brown
November 2019 Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua by-election	14 November 2019	Resignation of Te-Hani Brown	Te-Hani Brown
2021 Manihiki by-election	5 May 2021	Resignation of Henry Puna	Akaiti Puna (CIP)
2024 Penrhyn by-election	12 March 2024	Conviction of Robert Tapaitau for fraud	Sarakura Tapaitau

References

^ "Cook Islands Cabinet revealed". RNZ. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
^ "The Cook Islands Gazette No. 17/2022" (PDF). Parliament of the Cook Islands. 11 August 2022.

[1] "Cook Islands Cabinet revealed". RNZ. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 21 July 2020.

[2] "The Cook Islands Gazette No. 17/2022" (PDF). Parliament of the Cook Islands. 11 August 2022.

[1]

[2]

v t e Elections and referendums in the Cook Islands
General elections	1947 1950 1953 1956 1958 1961 1965 1968 1972 1974 1978 1983 (Mar) 1983 (Nov) 1989 1994 1999 2004 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Referendums	1994 1999 2004 2010 2022

v t e Electorates of the Cook Islands
Rarotonga	Akaoa Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston Matavera Murienua Ngatangiia Nikao–Panama Ruaau Takuvaine–Tutakimoa Titikaveka Tupapa–Maraerenga
Aitutaki	Amuri–Ureia Arutanga–Reureu–Nikaupara Vaipae–Tautu
Mangaia	Ivirua Oneroa Tamarua
Atiu	Teenui–Mapumai Tengatangi–Areora–Ngatiarua
Outer Islands	Manihiki Mauke Mitiaro Penrhyn Pukapuka–Nassau Rakahanga
Historic electorates	Aitutaki Aitutaki–Manuae Atiu European Mangaia Overseas Puaikura Pukapuka Rarotonga Takitumu Te-au-o-Tonga

v t e Elections in Oceania
Sovereign states	Australia Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Associated states of New Zealand	Cook Islands Niue
Dependencies and other territories	American Samoa Christmas Island Clipperton Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Easter Island French Polynesia Guam Hawaii New Caledonia Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Pitcairn Islands Tokelau Wallis and Futuna

Latest election

By-elections

See also

References