New Plymouth is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first created for the 1st New Zealand Parliament in 1853 and has existed since, with one 32-year interruption. The electorate was initially called Town of New Plymouth.
The electorate is currently held by David MacLeod for National. He defeated Labour’s Glen Bennett in the 2023 general election by 6,991 votes.
Population centres
In the 1927 electoral redistribution, the North Island gained a further electorate from the South Island due to faster population growth. Five electorates were abolished, two former electorates, including New Plymouth, were re-established, and three electorates were created for the first time.
The electorate includes the following population centres:
- New Plymouth (57,600)
- Waitara (6,312)
- Ōpunake (1,440)
- Ōakura (1,380)
- Ōkato (561)
History
The electorate was originally the Town of New Plymouth from 1853 to 1879. The name of the electorate was changed to New Plymouth from 1879 to 1896. The electorate was abolished in 1896, and was reconstituted under the same name in 1928.
Oliver Samuel, Edward Smith, Thomas Kelly (incumbent) and Charles Brown contested the electorate in the 1884 election; Samuel won the contest.
The electorate has changed between National and Labour several times, and has been represented by two Christian ministers: Rev Fred Frost and then Rev Ernest Aderman. New Plymouth is generally seen as a marginal seat.
Members of Parliament
Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at a general election.
Key
Independent Liberal United National Labour
List MPs
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the New Plymouth electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
Election results
2023 election
2020 election
2017 election
2014 election
2011 election
Electorate (as at 26 November 2011): 44,973
2008 election
2005 election
1999 election
1996 election
1993 election
1990 election
1987 election
1984 election
1981 election
1978 election
1975 election
1972 election
1969 election
1966 election
1963 election
- Social Credit candidate Kenneth "Ken" George Joseph Lattimer failed to lodge his name in time to contest the election.
1960 election
1957 election
1954 election
1951 election
1949 election
1946 election
1943 election
1938 election
1935 election
1931 election
1928 election
1893 election
1890 election
1869 by-election
Table footnotes
Notes
References
- McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
- 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.
- Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
External links
- Electorate Profile Parliamentary Library
