1925 New Zealand general election

1925 New Zealand general election

4 November 1925 (1925-11-04)
All 80 seats in the House of Representatives 41 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	90.02%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Gordon Coates Harry Holland George Forbes Party Reform Labour Liberal Leader since 1925 1919 1925 Leader's seat Kaipara Buller Hurunui Last election 37 seats, 39.4% 17 seats, 23.7% 22 seats, 26.3% Seats won 55 12 11 Seat change 18 5 11 Popular vote 324,462 184,650 152,697 Percentage 47.79% 27.20% 22.49% Swing 8.39% 3.50% 3.81%
Prime Minister before election Gordon Coates Reform Prime Minister-designate Gordon Coates Reform

The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November (the Māori vote had taken place the previous day) to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 678,877 (90.02%) voters turned out to vote. In one seat (Bay of Plenty) there was only one candidate.

In 1922, registration as an elector was made compulsory for all those eligible (except Māori).

Results

Gordon Coates continued as Prime Minister, with his Reform Party winning an outright majority of 30. Leonard Isitt and George Witty were both appointed to the Legislative Council by Gordon Coates on 28 October 1925; shortly before the election on 4 November. Both were Liberals but their retirement removed "a source of some bitterness from the Party's ranks". Gordon Coates was Reform, and both of their former seats went to Reform candidates.

After the election both Labour and Liberals held 11 seats. A tie at 4,900 votes each in Lyttelton (between the Labour and Reform candidates) was eventually settled in Labour's favour on 13 March 1926. After winning the 15 April 1926 by-election in Eden, Labour became the official opposition.

Party totals

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00BB00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Reform Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #B9F58B;" data-sort-value="Country Party (New Zealand)" | style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" |

Election results
Party		Candidates	Total votes	Percentage	Seats won
Reform	72	324,239	47.18	55
Labour	58	187,610	27.30	12
Liberal	52	143,931	20.94	11
Country Party	5	2,398	0.35	0
Independent	10	29,107	4.24	2
Total		202	687,285		80

Votes summary

Popular Vote Reform   47.18% Labour   27.30% Liberal   20.94% Country   0.35% Independent   4.24%

Parliament seats Reform   68.75% Labour   15.00% Liberal   13.75% Independent   2.50%

References

• Bassett, Michael (1982). Three Party Politics in New Zealand 1911–1931. Auckland: Historical Publications. ISBN 0-86870-006-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Chapman, Robert M. (1948). The Significance of the 1928 General Election: A Study in Certain Trends in New Zealand Politics During the Nineteen-Twenties (Thesis). Palmerston North: Massey University. {{cite thesis}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Skinner, W. A. G. (1926). The General Election, 1925. Government Printer. Retrieved 20 November 2014. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

External links

• Labour Party candidates 1925 (photomontage)