1978 Cook Islands general election

none Cook Islands 1974 March 1983 30 March 1978 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly 13 yes Cook Islands Party Albert Henry 15 14 Democratic Party (Cook Islands) Thomas Davis 7 8 Premier Albert Henry Cook Islands Party Albert Henry Cook Islands Party General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 30 March 1978 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP) of Premier Albert Henry, which won 15 of the 22 seats.Flying voters: Cooks poll up in air Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1978, p6 The Democratic Party won the remaining seven seats. Following the elections, the Democratic Party challenged the results, claiming Henry had used public funds to subsidise flights that brought expatriate CIP supporters back to the Cook Islands to vote, which cost around $300,000.A Cooks-NZ showdown? Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1978, p19 The election of nine CIP MPs was subsequently overturned by an electoral court, allowing Democratic Party leader Tom Davis – who had lost his seat before being reinstated as a result of the ruling – to become Premier. Henry was subsequently convicted of conspiracy and misuse of public money,http://www3.paclii.org/ck/cases/CKHC/1979/3.html Police v Henry - Sentence (1979) CKHC 3 1979-08-20 2009-03-22 2009-01-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20090107022731/http://www.paclii.org/ck/cases/CKHC/1979/3.html dead and later stripped of his knighthood. Background Elections were called six months early by Henry, hoping to capitalise on divisions in the Democratic Party during a leadership challenge.Sir Albert's strategy? Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1978, p6 Prior to the elections, three prominent CIP members, William Estall, Raui Pokoati and Joe Williams, left the party.Cook Islands' election stakes Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1978, p32 Williams subsequently established the Unity Party.Sir Albert in a corner Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1978, pp17–19 As overseas voting was not possible, Cook Islanders had to return to the islands to vote. Special polling stations were set up at Rarotonga International Airport. Both the CIP and the Democratic Party persuaded supporters to fly from New Zealand, with six planeloads of CIP supporters travelling at a subsidised cost of $20 each, and two planeloads of Democratic Party supporters, who paid the full fare. Around 800 supporters of the CIP were transported on Ansett planes, with Democratic Party supporters travelling by Air Nauru. Results File:Cook Islands Parliament 1972.svg Cook Islands Party 15 +1 Democratic Party 7 –1 Unity Party 0 New 0 Pacific Islands Monthly By electorate Constituency Candidate VotesAitutaki–Manuae Kura Strickland 654Geoffrey Henry 639Ngereteina Puna 636Matai Simiona 252Koekoe John Mokotupu 203Sadaraka Metuakore Sadaraka 194William John Estall 65Tere Aaron Marsters 53Atiu Vainerere Tangatapoto 252Tangata Simiona 247Franco Mateariki 212Tepou Boaza 209Paul Pomani Tangata 7Mangaia Papamama Pokino 370Matepi Matepi 367Torotoro Kimiravenga 160Tere Evangelia Aratangi 140Manihiki George Frederick Ellis Jr. 92Epinisa Toma 64Mauke Tupui Ariki Henry 188Julian Dashwood 72Mitiaro David Tetava 66Raui Pokoati 49Celina James Scott 2Penrhyn Tangaroa Tangaroa 145Walter Benedito 69Fred Ford 6Puaikura Jimmy Mareiti 541Raymond Pirangi 517William Heather 509Harry Napa 490Joseph Williams 37Pukapuka–Nassau Inatio Akaruru 313Mataora Tutai 62Rakahanga Pupuke Robati 70Turuta Temu 47Takitumu Matapo Matapo 603Apenera Short 599Teariki Matenga 565Iaveta Short 564Taramai Tetonga 555William Cowan 530Tuainekore-o-turepu Keenan 31Te-au-o-Tonga Albert Henry 1,420Lionel George Browne 1,363Teanua Dan Kamana 1,353Rei Jack 1,323Thomas Davis 1,248Vincent Ingram 1,201Fred Goodwin 1,173Teariki Piri 1,173Enua Bishop 41Thomas Tixier 40Michael Tavioni 39Source:5 April 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 26/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780405_01/ Library of Congress5 April 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 27/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780405_02/?sp=2 Library of Congress6 April 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 28/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780406_01/ Library of Congress10 April 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 29/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780410_01/ Library of Congress Aftermath Immediately after the elections, the electoral law was amended to prevent Cook Islanders living overseas from voting, with a requirement to have been resident for three months prior to election day introduced. The results of the three Rarotonga constituencies were challenged by the Democratic Party. The petitions were heard in an electoral court presided over by Chief Justice Gaven Donne, which sat in Auckland, Rarotonga and Wellington in May and June.Fall of the House of Henry Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1978, pp11–14 It was revealed that Henry had paid $290,000 for the flights for CIP supporters back to the Cook Islands to vote using a specially founded government company. The votes cast by the CIP voters who flew in were annulled, resulting in eight of the CIP MLAs elected in Rarotonga losing their seats and being replaced by the losing Democratic Party candidates including Tom Davis. The result in Mitiaro, where David Tetava of the CIP was elected, was also overturned due to corrupt practices and a by-election ordered on 5 October 1978.4 September 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 78/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780904_02/ Library of Congress David Tetava died before the election, and the only other candidate, Tiki Tetava, was elected unopposed.29 September 1978 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 83/78 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19780929_01// Library of Congress With the Democratic Party now holding a 15–6 majority in the Legislative Assembly, Davis formed a new government. He retained the portfolios of Finance and Economic Development for himself, and appointed Pupuke Robati as Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Vincent Ingram as Minister of Justice and Police, Papamama Pokino as Minister for Supportive Services, Iaveta Short as Minister of Agriculture and Tourism, Tangata Simoiona as Minister of Education and Tangaroa Tangaroa as Minister of Internal Affairs. Titi Tetava Ariki won the subsequent by-election in Mitiaro.Papa Raui Pokoati Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1971, p98 References Category:Elections in the Cook Islands General election Cook Islands Cook Islands Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results