Nelson (New Zealand electorate)

Nelson is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson. The electorate is the only one that has continuously existed since the 1st Parliament in 1853.

The current MP for Nelson is Nick Smith of the National Party.[1] He has held this position since 1996.

Contents

Population centres

Nelson is based around the city of Nelson, with the dormitory town of Richmond and the smaller communities of Hope and Brightwater drafted in to bring the electorate up to the required population quota.

The current boundaries were fixed in 1996 ahead of the change to Mixed Member Proportional voting; the decrease in South Island electorates from 25 to 16 lead to the abolition of one western South Island electorate; Tasman was split between West Coast and the then (geographically) much smaller Nelson electorate.

History

An electorate based on the Nelson has been contested at every election since the first Parliament in 1853. Two of the original 24 electorates from the 1st Parliament still exist (New Plymouth is the other one), but Nelson is the only original electorate that has existed continuously.[2]

The electorate was initially known as Town of Nelson. From 1866 to 1881, it was called City of Nelson. Since 1881, it has been known as simply Nelson.[3]

From 1853 to 1881, Nelson was a two member electorate.[3] James Mackay and William Travers were the first two representatives elected in 1853. Travers and William Cautley (MP for Waimea) both resigned on 26 May 1854. Travers subsequently contested the seat that Cautley had vacated, being elected in the 21 June 1854 Waimea by-election. Samuel Stephens, who succeeded Travers in Nelson, died before the end of the first term, but the seat remained vacant.

Alfred Domett retired from politics at the end of the 3rd Parliament. Edward Stafford resigned in 1868 during the term of the 4th Parliament. Nathaniel Edwards won the resulting by-election. Martin Lightband resigned after a year in Parliament in 1872 and was succeeded by David Luckie.

Nelson became a single member electorate in 1881. Henry Levestam, who was first elected in an 1881 by-election to replace Adams was confirmed by the voters at the next three general elections (1881, 1884 and 1887), but he died in office on 11 February 1889.[4]

Joseph Harkness won the resulting 1889 by-election and was confirmed in the 1890 election.[5] He retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1893 and was succeeded by John Graham, who with the 1893 election started a representation of the electorate that would last until his retirement in 1911.[6]

Harry Atmore of the National Party succeeded Harkness in the 1911 election,[7] but he was defeated at the next election in 1914 by Thomas Field of the Reform Party.[8] At the subsequent election in 1919, Atmore defeated Field and represented the electorate until his death on 21 August 1946.[7]

Atmore's death did not cause a by-election, as the 1946 election was held in November of that year. The contest was won by Edgar Neale of the National Party.[9] He held the electorate until 1957, when he retired.

Atmore was succeeded by Stanley Whitehead of the Labour Party in the 1957 election. This started Labour's dominance in the electorate, which was to last for four decades. Whitehead died on 9 January 1976 in the office and this caused the 1976 by-election, which was won by Labour's Mel Courtney. In the 1981 election, Courtney stood as an Independent against Labour's Philip Woollaston, with the latter the successful candidate. Woollaston retired in 1990 and was succeeded by Labour's John Blincoe. When the electorate was enlarged for the 1996 election, Blincoe lost against National's Nick Smith. Smith is the incumbent.

The gap between National and Labour contesting the list vote has narrowed - 43% to 36% in Labour's favour at the 2005 election versus a 45%-19% split three years earlier. Nelson is also an electorate in which the Green Party performs better than the national average - nearly nine percent in 2002 and 7.7 percent in 2005.

Members of Parliament for Nelson

1853 to 1881

From 1853 to 1881, Nelson was a two-member electorate.

Key   Independent  

Election Winners
1853 election James Mackay William Travers
1854 by-election Samuel Stephens
1855 election Alfred Domett Edward Stafford
1861 election
1866 election Oswald Curtis
1868 by-election Nathaniel Edwards[10]
1871 election Martin Lightband[11]
1872 by-election David Mitchell Luckie[12]
1875 election John Sharp[13]
1879 by-election Acton Adams[14]
1879 election Albert Pitt
1881 by-election Henry Levestam

1881 onwards

Since 1881, Nelson has been a single-member electorate.

Key   Independent     Reform     National     Labour  

Election Winner
1881 election Henry Levestam
1884 election
1887 election
1889 by-election Joseph Harkness
1890 election
1893 election John Graham
1896 election
1899 election
1902 election
1905 election
1908 election
1911 election Harry Atmore
1914 election Thomas Field
1919 election Harry Atmore (2nd time)
1922 election
1925 election
1928 election
1931 election
1935 election
1938 election
1943 election
1946 election Edgar Neale
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election Stanley Whitehead
1960 election
1963 election
1966 election
1969 election
1972 election
1975 election
1976 by-election Mel Courtney
1978 election
1981 election Philip Woollaston
1984 election
1987 election
1990 election John Blincoe
1993 election
1996 election Nick Smith
1999 election
2002 election
2005 election
2008 election
2011 election

List MPs from Nelson

Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the Nelson electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.

Name Party Elected Left Office
Mike Ward Green 2002 2005
Maryan Street Labour 2008, 2011 current

Candidates in the 2011 election

General Election 2011: Nelson
Notes:

 Green background  denotes an incumbent.
 Pink background  denotes a current list MP.
 Yellow background  denotes a retiring incumbent.
Party Candidate Notes List # Source
Green Aaryn Barlow 18   [15][16]
NZ First Kevin Gardener 17   [15]
ACT Paul Hufflett 39   [15][17]
National Nick Smith Incumbent since 1990 6   [15][18]
United Future Doug Stevens 2   [15][19]
Labour Maryan Street List MP since 2005 7   [15][20]
Conservative Oliver Vitali 26   [15][21]

Electorate (as at 11 November 2011): 46,301[22]

Election results

2008 election

General Election 2008: Nelson[23]

Notes: Green background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party Votes % ±%
National Y Nick Smith 20,471 57.13 +1.41 15,378 42.46 +5.45
Labour Maryan Street 12,000 33.49 +5.84 13,689 37.79 -5.17
Green Diana Mellor 2,605 7.27 -4.45 3,417 9.43 +1.69
Kiwi Robin Westley 312 0.87 256 0.71
ACT Paul Hufflett 306 0.85 +0.45 900 2.48 +1.43
United Future Kelvin Deal 138 0.39 -1.17 387 1.07 -2.43
NZ First   1,104 3.05 -1.28
Progressive   282 0.78 -0.35
Bill and Ben   209 0.58
Māori   184 0.51 +0.27
Family Party   160 0.44
Legalise Cannabis   144 0.40 +0.12
Alliance   42 0.12 +0.03
Democrats   24 0.07 ±0.00
Workers Party   13 0.04
Libertarianz   12 0.03 +0.01
Pacific   11 0.03
RONZ   5 0.01 ±0.00
RAM   3 0.01
Informal votes 241 115
Total Valid votes 35,832 36,220
Turnout 36,548 81.77 -1.00
National hold Majority 8,471 23.64 -4.43

2005 election

General Election 2005: Nelson[24][25]

Notes: Green background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party Votes % ±%
National Y Nick Smith 20,299 55.72 +8.45 13,619 37.01 +17.68
Labour Jen McCutcheon 10,073 27.65 -6.94 15,809 42.96 -1.96
Green Mike Ward 4,269 11.72 -0.51 2,848 7.74 -1.18
United Future Dennis Wells 568 1.56 -0.72 1,289 3.50 -3.18
Destiny Jason Thomson 383 1.05 361 0.98
Progressive Jacqueline McAlpine 252 0.69 +0.06 417 1.13 -0.18
Christian Heritage Nick Barber 209 0.57 -1.33 141 0.38 -1.48
Māori Anne Fitzsimon 165 0.45 89 0.24
ACT Mike Heine 144 0.40 388 1.05 -2.94
Direct Democracy Rex Newey 67 0.18 50 0.14
NZ First   1,593 4.33 -2.04
Legalise Cannabis   104 0.28 -0.29
Alliance   33 0.09 -1.09
Democrats   24 0.07
One NZ   11 0.03 -0.06
Libertarianz   9 0.02
Family Rights   7 0.02
99 MP   6 0.02
RONZ   4 0.01 ±0.00
Informal votes 260 113
Total Valid votes 36,429 36,802
Turnout 37,052 82.77 +3.19
National hold Majority 10,226 28.07 +15.39

2002 election

General Election 2002: Nelson[25][26]

Notes: Green background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party Votes % ±%
National Y Nick Smith 15,779 47.27 +2.49 6,517 19.33 -7.70
Labour John Kennedy 11,547 34.59 +2.83 15,149 44.92 +4.30
Green Mike Ward 4,084 12.23 +2.10 3,008 8.92 +0.78
United Future Dennis Wells 762 2.28 2,254 6.68 +5.68a
Christian Heritage Nick Barber 635 1.90 -1.20 628 1.86 -2.80
Alliance Mary O'Connor 364 1.09 -6.13 398 1.18 -7.74
Progressive Adrian Bayly 211 0.63 441 1.31
NZ First   2,147 6.37 +4.27
ORNZ   1,602 4.75
ACT   1,346 3.99 -1.52
Legalise Cannabis   193 0.57 -0.13
One NZ   30 0.09 -0.01
NMP   5 0.01 -0.08
RONZ   4 0.01
Mana Māori   3 0.01 ±0.00
Informal votes 286 115
Total Valid votes 33,382 33,721
Turnout 33,923 79.58
National hold Majority 4,232 12.68 -0.35
a United Future swing is compared to the 1999 results of United NZ and Future NZ, who merged in 2000.

1999 election

General Election 1999: Nelson[25][27][28]

Notes: Green background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party Votes % ±%
National Y Nick Smith 15,542 44.78 9,419 27.03
Labour Simon Fraser 11,021 31.76 14,154 40.62
Green Mike Ward 3,516 10.13 2,835 8.14
Alliance Mary O'Connor 2,505 7.22 3,108 8.92
Christian Heritage Nick Barber 1,077 3.10 1,624 4.66
ACT Philip Gully 461 1.33 1,920 5.51
NZ First Trevor Squires 296 0.85 732 2.10
McGillicuddy Serious Tim Owens 223 0.64 95 0.27
NMP Suzanne Johnston 64 0.18 32 0.09
Legalise Cannabis   278 0.80
Future NZ   216 0.62
United NZ   131 0.38
Libertarianz   114 0.33
South Island   67 0.19
Animals First   51 0.15
One NZ   34 0.10
Natural Law   14 0.04
Mana Māori   5 0.01
People's Choice 5 0.01
Freedom Movement 4 0.01
Mauri Pacific   4 0.01
Republican   3 0.01
Informal votes 485 345
Total Valid votes 34,705 34,845
National hold Majority 4,521 13.03

Notes

  1. ^ New Zealand Parliament - Nick Smith MP
  2. ^ Wilson 1985.
  3. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 161.
  4. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 120.
  5. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 112.
  6. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 109.
  7. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 94.
  8. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 105.
  9. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 129.
  10. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1906). "Present And Past Members Of Parliament". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d3.html#name-431286-mention. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  11. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1906). "Present And Past Members Of Parliament". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d3.html#name-431301-mention. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  12. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1906). "Present And Past Members Of Parliament". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d3.html#name-414212-mention. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  13. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1906). "Present And Past Members Of Parliament". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d3.html#name-431304-mention. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  14. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1906). "Present And Past Members Of Parliament". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d1-d3.html#name-421173-mention. Retrieved 4 July 2010. 
  15. ^ a b c d e f g "Information for Voters in Nelson". Elections New Zealand. 2 November 2011. http://www.elections.org.nz/voting/voting-info/nelson.html. 
  16. ^ "New Green candidate for Nelson". Nelson Mail. 6 April 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/4853934/New-Green-candidate-for-Nelson. 
  17. ^ "ACT pledges to face 'difficult decisions'". Nelson Mail. 13 October 2011. http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/5781103/ACT-pledges-to-face-difficult-decisions. 
  18. ^ "201 Election Candidates". kiwiblog.co.nz. http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/201_election_candidates. 
  19. ^ "UnitedFuture announces first wave of candidates". 22 August 2011. http://www.unitedfuture.org.nz/unitedfuture-announces-first-wave-of-candidates/. 
  20. ^ "Labour reveals 2011 election candidates". 3 News. 5 July 2010. http://www.3news.co.nz/Labour-reveals-2011-election-candidates/tabid/419/articleID/164275/Default.aspx. Retrieved 23 September 2011. 
  21. ^ "Conservative List Released". Press Release: Conservative Party (via Scoop.co.nz). 2011-11-01. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1111/S00014/conservative-list-released.htm. Retrieved 2011-11-01. 
  22. ^ "Enrolment statistics". Electoral Commission. 11 November 2011. http://www.elections.org.nz/ages/. Retrieved 17 November 2011. 
  23. ^ 2008 election results
  24. ^ "Official Count Results – Nelson". Elections New Zealand. 2005. http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_2005/electorate-30.html. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  25. ^ a b c "Electorate Profile Nelson". New Zealand Parliamentary Library. October 2005. http://www.parliament.nz/NR/rdonlyres/12F36DD0-6FE0-4642-8C0B-B0C0785D9106/152/Nelson1.pdf. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  26. ^ "Official Count Results – Nelson". Elections New Zealand. 2002. http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_2002/electorate-30.html. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  27. ^ "Votes for Registered Parties by Electorate". Elections New Zealand. 1999. http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_1999/e9/html/e9_partIV.html. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 
  28. ^ "Elected Candidate Votes by Electorate". Elections New Zealand. 1999. http://electionresults.org.nz/electionresults_1999/e9/html/e9_partIX_2.html. Retrieved 7 April 2010. 

References

External links

« historic electorates «   Electorates of New Zealand at the 2008 and 2011 general elections
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