Tauranga by-election 1993
Encyclopedia
The Tauranga by-election was a by-election
in the New Zealand
electorate of Tauranga
, a city in New Zealand's North Island
. It took place on 17 April 1993, and was precipitated by the resignation from parliament of sitting MP Winston Peters
. Peters, who had been increasingly at odds with his National Party
colleagues, had resigned both from his party and from Parliament. He contested the seat as an independent.
None of the major parties contested this election, claiming the upcoming general election was close enough to make the by-election nothing but a publicity stunt. The National Party did not propose a candidate to replace Peters. As expected, Peters won a massive majority, receiving just over ninety percent of the vote. It is debated exactly what his margin of victory might have been if the election had been fully contested, but it was never really believed that Peters would lose. The distant runner-up in the election was a member of the McGillicuddy Serious Party
, a joke party.
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
electorate of Tauranga
Tauranga (New Zealand electorate)
Tauranga is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Tauranga is Simon Bridges of the National Party, who won the seat in the 2008 New Zealand general election, after the previous MP, Bob Clarkson of...
, a city in New Zealand's North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. It took place on 17 April 1993, and was precipitated by the resignation from parliament of sitting MP Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
. Peters, who had been increasingly at odds with his National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
colleagues, had resigned both from his party and from Parliament. He contested the seat as an independent.
None of the major parties contested this election, claiming the upcoming general election was close enough to make the by-election nothing but a publicity stunt. The National Party did not propose a candidate to replace Peters. As expected, Peters won a massive majority, receiving just over ninety percent of the vote. It is debated exactly what his margin of victory might have been if the election had been fully contested, but it was never really believed that Peters would lose. The distant runner-up in the election was a member of the McGillicuddy Serious Party
McGillicuddy Serious Party
The McGillicuddy Serious Party operated as a satirical political party in New Zealand politics during the late 20th century. Between 1984 and 1999, McGillicuddy Serious provided "colour" to New Zealand politics to ensure that citizens not take the political process too seriously...
, a joke party.