1976 Nelson by-election


The Nelson by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Nelson a predominantly urban seat at the top of the South Island.

Background and campaign

The by-election occurred on 28 February 1976, and was precipitated by the death of sitting Labour Party member of parliament and Speaker of the House Sir Stanley Whitehead on 9 January 1976.
The by-election was contested by all major parties. It was won by Mel Courtney, the Labour Party candidate, with a majority of 1505. Wellington's Dominion newspaper reported that: "The defeat was a shock to the super-confident National Party organisers, including some of the party's top officials who were predicting a 2000-vote National majority".
Mel Courtney, a 32-year-old supermarket proprietor, proved "an excellent choice" as a candidate, the victory at the polls vindicated the decision of the Labour Party's selection committee. Courtney stressed Nelson's needs as a community as the major theme of his campaign. He had "lived in Nelson for a number of years", was a Nelson City Councillor and struck a chord with electors: "Nelson is a unique place to live and consequently a local person can best serve local interests".

Results

The following table gives the election results: