New Zealand general election, 1969

New Zealand general election, 1969

1966 ← 29 November 1969 (1969-11-29) → 1972

All 84 seats in the Parliament of New Zealand 43 seats were needed for a majority Turnout 1,340,168 (88.94%)   First party Second party Third party   Leader Keith Holyoake Norman Kirk Vernon Cracknell Party National Labour Social Credit Leader since 1957 1965 1966 Leader's seat Pahiatua Lyttelton Hobson Last election 44 seats, 43.6% 35 seats, 41.4% 1 seat, 14.5% Seats won 45 39 0 Seat change 1 4 1 Popular vote 605,960 592,055 121,576 Percentage 45.2% 44.2% 9.1% Swing 1.6% 2.8% 5.4%

Prime Minister before election Keith Holyoake National Elected Prime Minister Keith Holyoake National

The 1969 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 36th term. It saw the governing National Party win a fourth consecutive term, under Prime Minister Keith Holyoake.

The Election

The election was held on 29 November. Turnout was 88.94%. The total number of MPs had increased to 84, with at least 3 of the 4 new seats likely Labour seats.

Results

National pulled off a cliff-hanger victory. National won 45 seats, and Labour won 39 seats, though Labour's share of the vote was only 1% behind National. The Social Credit Party lost its only seat in Parliament.

Despite the hopes of a reinvigorated Labour party under Norman Kirk, Labour was over-confident, started too late, and did not win in Auckland. Relations with the Federation of Labour and the unions were not good, and an industrial dispute on the ship Wainui cost Labour three Auckland seats according to Kirk.

	Party	Leader	Total votes	Percentage	Seats won
	National Party	Keith Holyoake	605,960	45.2%	45
	Labour Party	Norman Kirk	592,055	44.2%	39
	Social Credit Party	Vernon Cracknell	121,576	9.1%	0
	Country Party		6,715	0.5%	0
	Independents (including Dr Barry Dallas and Kevin Ryan QC)		8,457	0.6%	0
	Others		5,405	0.4%	0
	Total Valid Votes		1,340,168		84

References

• Election ’69 by Ian Templeton & Keith Eunson (1969)