Horowhenua (New Zealand electorate)

Horowhenua was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1978 to 1996.

Population centres

The 1977 electoral redistribution was the most overtly political since the Representation Commission had been established through an amendment to the Representation Act in 1886, initiated by Muldoon's National Government.[1] As part of the 1976 census, a large number of people failed to fill out an electoral re-registration card, and census staff had not been given the authority to insist on the card being completed. This had little practical effect for people on the general roll, but it transferred Māori to the general roll if the card was not handed in. Together with a northward shift of New Zealand's population, this resulted in five new electorates having to be created in the upper part of the North Island.[2] The electoral redistribution was very disruptive, and 22 electorates were abolished, while 27 electorates were newly created (including Horowhenua) or re-established. These changes came into effect for the 1978 election.[3]

In the 1977 electoral redistribution, the Kapiti electorate moved south and the Manawatu electorate moved north. The Horowhenua electorate was established in between those electorates, covering the Horowhenua District, with the main towns Waikanae, Otaki, Shannon, and Foxton.[4] In the 1983 electoral redistribution, Horowhenua's boundaries contracted and Shannon was lost to the Manawatu electorate.[5] In the 1987 electoral redistribution, the Horowhenua electorate moved slightly north, and Waikanae was lost to Kapiti, whilst Shannon was regained.[6]

The Horowhenua electorate was abolished for the 1996 election, the first mixed-member proportional (MMP) representation election. It was largely replaced by the Ōtaki electorate.

History

The electorate was established for the 1978 election.[7] The first member was Geoff Thompson of the National Party, who was the representative for two parliamentary terms.[8] Thompson was defeated by Labour's Annette King at the 1984 election.[9] King represented the Horowhenua electorate for two parliamentary terms before she was defeated by National's Hamish Hancock in the 1990 election.[10][11] Hancock in turn was succeeded by Labour's Judy Keall after one parliamentary term in the 1993 election. When the Horowhenua electorate was abolished in 1996, Keall stood in the Otaki electorate, where she had a majority of under 1,000 votes.[12]

Members of Parliament

Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.

Key

 National    Labour  

Election Winner
1978 election Geoff Thompson
1981 election
1984 election Annette King
1987 election
1990 election Hamish Hancock
1993 election Judy Keall
(Electorate abolished in 1996; see Otaki)

Election results

1993 election

1993 general election: Horowhenua[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Judy Keall 8,387 41.84
National Hamish Hancock 6,040 30.13 -9.78
Alliance Jill Bint 2,517 12.55
NZ First Pam Richardson 2,411 12.02
Christian Heritage Ron Hubbard 636 3.17
Natural Law Grant Wilson 54 0.26
Majority 2,347 11.70
Turnout 20,045 86.15 -1.03
Registered electors 23,267

1990 election

1990 general election: Horowhenua[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Hamish Hancock 9,727 39.91
Labour Annette King 9,103 37.35 -14.10
Green Mike Smith 1,335 5.47
NewLabour Joe Pond 659 2.70
Social Credit M Pownall 256 1.05
Democrats Colin Whitmill 166 0.68
Majority 624 2.56
Turnout 21,246 87.18 -3.26
Registered electors 24,370

1987 election

1987 general election: Horowhenua[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Annette King 10,822 51.45 +6.45
National Geoff Thompson 9,272 44.08 +1.02
Democrats W R Holden 940 4.46 +0.20
Majority 1,550 7.36 -5.43
Turnout 21,034 90.44 -3.07
Registered electors 23,257

1984 election

1984 general election: Horowhenua[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Annette King 10,401 45.00
National Geoff Thompson 9,954 43.06 -2.07
NZ Party Graham Wiggins 1,772 7.66
Social Credit W R Holden 985 4.26
Majority 447 1.93
Turnout 23,112 93.51 +2.94
Registered electors 24,715

1981 election

1981 general election: Horowhenua[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Geoff Thompson 9,825 45.13 +2.27
Labour David Page 8,949 41.10
Social Credit Bobbie Smith 2,830 13.00
Values B M Hager 165 0.75
Majority 876 4.02 -0.46
Turnout 21,769 90.57 +14.67
Registered electors 24,035

1978 election

1978 general election: Horowhenua[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Geoff Thompson 8,956 42.86
Labour Alan Charles Eyles 8,212 39.30
Social Credit Rachel Ann Blanchard 3,231 15.46
Values Rachel Ann Moore 346 1.65
Right to Life Christopher John Bodley 150 0.71
Majority 744 3.56
Turnout 20,895 75.90
Registered electors 27,529

Notes

  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 8–9, 51, 119.
  2. McRobie 1989, p. 119.
  3. McRobie 1989, pp. 115–120.
  4. McRobie 1989, pp. 114–119.
  5. McRobie 1989, pp. 118–123.
  6. McRobie 1989, pp. 122–127.
  7. Wilson 1985, p. 265.
  8. Wilson 1985, p. 240.
  9. Wilson 1985, pp. 210, 240.
  10. "Rongotai: Annette King wins easily". The Dominion Post. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  11. "New Zealand Official Yearbook 1993". Department of Statistics. Archived from the original on 24 January 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  12. Counsell, Gerard (31 October 2008). "Swing seats: All eyes on Otaki". One News. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  13. Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993.
  14. Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990.
  15. Norton 1988, p. 248.

References

  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 265. OCLC 154283103.
  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.

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