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.infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive 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img{background-color:#f8f9fa}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1152813436">.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px;white-space:nowrap}</style><table class="infobox ib-election infobox-table vevent"><caption class="infobox-title summary">1976 Nelson by-election</caption><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/50px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="25" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/75px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/100px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></span></span></span><hr /></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-subheader"><table style="width:100%; margin:1px; display:inline-table;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align:left; vertical-align:middle; padding:0 0.5em 0 0;width:20%;" class="noprint">← <a href="/wiki/1975_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1975 New Zealand general election">1975 general</a></td> <td style="text-align:center; vertical-align:middle;; padding:0 1px;width:60%;" class=""><b>28 February 1976</b></td> <td style="text-align:right; vertical-align:middle;; padding:0 0 0 0.5em;width:20%;" class="noprint"><a href="/wiki/1978_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1978 New Zealand general election">1978 general</a> →</td> </tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Turnout</th><td class="infobox-data">17,470 (79.03%)</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"> <table style="background:transparent; color: inherit; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr> <td>  </td> <td class="notheme" style="text-align:center;border-bottom: 6px solid #D82A20;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Mel_Courtney.tif" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Mel_Courtney.tif/lossless-page1-100px-Mel_Courtney.tif.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="135" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Mel_Courtney.tif/lossless-page1-150px-Mel_Courtney.tif.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Mel_Courtney.tif/lossless-page1-200px-Mel_Courtney.tif.png 2x" data-file-width="493" data-file-height="668" /></a></span> </td> <td class="notheme" style="text-align:center;border-bottom: 6px solid #00529F;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:No_image.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/No_image.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" data-file-width="1" data-file-height="1" /></a></span> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="width:75px;text-align:left">Candidate </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Mel_Courtney" title="Mel Courtney">Mel Courtney</a> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/Peter_Malone_(mayor)" title="Peter Malone (mayor)">Peter Malone</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="width:75px;text-align:left">Party </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour</a> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_National_Party" title="New Zealand National Party">National</a> </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Popular vote </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>8,418</b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">6,913 </td></tr> <tr> <th style="text-align:left">Percentage </th> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center"><b>48.18 </b> </td> <td style="width:75px;text-align:center">39.57 </td></tr> </tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"><hr /> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent; color: inherit; width:100%;"> <tbody><tr> <td style="width:50%; text-align:left;"><b>Member before election</b><br /> <p>Sir <a href="/wiki/Stan_Whitehead" title="Stan Whitehead">Stanley Whitehead</a><br /> <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour</a> </p> </td> <td style="width:50%; text-align:right;"><b>Elected Member</b> <br /> <p><a href="/wiki/Mel_Courtney" title="Mel Courtney">Mel Courtney</a><br /> <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour</a> </p> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The <b>Nelson by-election</b> was a <a href="/wiki/By-election" title="By-election">by-election</a> in the New Zealand electorate of <a href="/wiki/Nelson_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Nelson (New Zealand electorate)">Nelson</a> a predominantly urban seat at the top of the <a href="/wiki/South_Island" title="South Island">South Island</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Background">Background</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Background"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The by-election was precipitated by the death of sitting <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour Party</a> member of parliament and <a href="/wiki/Speaker_of_the_New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives" title="Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives">Speaker of the House</a> Sir <a href="/wiki/Stan_Whitehead" title="Stan Whitehead">Stanley Whitehead</a> on 9 January 1976. Whitehead had been re-elected two months earlier at the <a href="/wiki/1975_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1975 New Zealand general election">1975 general election</a> which saw the defeat of the <a href="/wiki/Third_Labour_Government_of_New_Zealand" title="Third Labour Government of New Zealand">Third Labour Government</a>, of which he was a member.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>As a new session of Parliament had not begun Whitehead was still legally the Speaker of the House. As such, the <a href="/wiki/Governor-General_of_New_Zealand" title="Governor-General of New Zealand">Governor-General</a>, <a href="/wiki/Denis_Blundell" title="Denis Blundell">Denis Blundell</a>, gazetted the vacancy of the seat as the acting speaker and gave the instructed the Clerk of the Writs to issue a writ for the by-election.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Candidates">Candidates</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Candidates"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Labour">Labour</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Labour"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>After Labour's shock defeat at the <a href="/wiki/1975_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1975 New Zealand general election">1975 election</a> Labour leader <a href="/wiki/Bill_Rowling" title="Bill Rowling">Bill Rowling</a> was facing open concerns about the effectiveness of his leadership. His first test as <a href="/wiki/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(New_Zealand)" title="Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)">Leader of the Opposition</a> came with the Nelson by-election which became seen as crucial to his future. Media commentators were openly suggesting he could not survive should Labour suffer two losses in a row.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153–4_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153–4-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> There was a concerted effort to seek candidates with links to Nelson as there were fears in the area that MPs who had lost their seats in 1975 would become "<a href="/wiki/Parachute_candidate" title="Parachute candidate">parachute candidates</a>".<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Defeated <a href="/wiki/Waitemata_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Waitemata (New Zealand electorate)">Waitemata</a> MP <a href="/wiki/Michael_Bassett" title="Michael Bassett">Michael Bassett</a> was asked about the Nelson candidacy but he ruled it out saying he was not interested in Nelson and "nor would Nelson be interested in me."<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The candidates for the nomination were:<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ul><li>Geoff Amos, a tobacco company representative</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mel_Courtney" title="Mel Courtney">Mel Courtney</a>, a grocer and <a href="/wiki/Nelson_City_Council" title="Nelson City Council">Nelson City Councillor</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sonja_Davies" title="Sonja Davies">Sonja Davies</a>, union secretary and former member of the Nelson City Council and Hospital Board</li> <li>Malcolm McNamara, assistant head of the South-East Asian section of the <a href="/wiki/Ministry_of_Foreign_Affairs_and_Trade_(New_Zealand)" title="Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)">Ministry of Foreign Affairs</a> and former private secretary to <a href="/wiki/Norman_Kirk" title="Norman Kirk">Norman Kirk</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Frank_O%27Flynn" title="Frank O'Flynn">Frank O'Flynn</a>, former MP for <a href="/wiki/Kapiti_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Kapiti (New Zealand electorate)">Kapiti</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geoffrey_Palmer_(politician)" title="Geoffrey Palmer (politician)">Geoffrey Palmer</a>, law faculty professor at <a href="/wiki/Victoria_University_of_Wellington" title="Victoria University of Wellington">Victoria University</a></li></ul> <p><a href="/wiki/Mel_Courtney" title="Mel Courtney">Mel Courtney</a>, a 32-year-old supermarket proprietor, was chosen as the candidate. He had lived in Nelson for six years and was a member of the <a href="/wiki/Nelson_City_Council" title="Nelson City Council">Nelson City Council</a>. He was originally from <a href="/wiki/Christchurch" title="Christchurch">Christchurch</a> and had been the vice-chairman of the <a href="/wiki/Sydenham_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Sydenham (New Zealand electorate)">Sydenham</a> Labour Representation Committee and was a Labour candidate for the <a href="/wiki/Christchurch_City_Council" title="Christchurch City Council">Christchurch City Council</a> in <a href="/wiki/1968_Christchurch_mayoral_election" title="1968 Christchurch mayoral election">1968</a>. His selection was a surprise given the presence of more well-known contenders (Davies was runner up).<sup id="cite_ref-Labour_Chooses_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Labour_Chooses-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-local_man_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-local_man-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Rowling's preferred choice was Palmer.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> As Palmer had neither liven in the area for decades and had been a party member for less than two-years there was resistance to Palmer's nomination. A group of local party members threatened legal action over his membership tenure if he was nominated. To prevent a split in the membership Arthur Baysting, the secretary of the Nelson Labour Electorate Committee (LEC), pushed for Courtney to be selected believing him to be the most electable alternative to Palmer.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="National">National</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: National"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The National Party were confident of their chances to flip the seat following their convincing win in 1975. Top officials in the party were not only predicting a win, but that they may get as much as a 2,000 vote majority.<sup id="cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Nelson_vote-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> At the same time Labour were conducting their selection meeting, National conducted a pre-selection meeting lasting six hours to reduce the number of applicants to a shortlist of five.<sup id="cite_ref-local_man_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-local_man-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The candidates for the nomination were: </p> <ul><li>Ted Krammer, a company secretary</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Malone_(mayor)" title="Peter Malone (mayor)">Peter Malone</a>, a veterinary surgeon who was National's candidate in Nelson in <a href="/wiki/1963_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1963 New Zealand general election">1963</a> and <a href="/wiki/Tasman_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Tasman (New Zealand electorate)">Tasman</a> in <a href="/wiki/1975_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1975 New Zealand general election">1975</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roy_McLennan" title="Roy McLennan">Roy McLennan</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Mayor_of_Nelson" class="mw-redirect" title="Mayor of Nelson">Mayor of Nelson</a> who had contested Nelson in <a href="/wiki/1969_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1969 New Zealand general election">1969</a></li> <li>Ian McWhannell, National's candidate for Nelson in <a href="/wiki/1972_New_Zealand_general_election" title="1972 New Zealand general election">1972</a> and 1975</li> <li>Colin Victor Neale, a company director and former chairman of the Nelson National Party − son of <a href="/wiki/Edgar_Neale" title="Edgar Neale">Edgar Neale</a></li></ul> <p>Malone was elected on the first ballot at a meeting of 150 members (70 of whom were voting delegates).<sup id="cite_ref-National_names_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-National_names-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> His selection was contrary to expectation as McLennan was seen as the front-runner.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Social_Credit">Social Credit</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Social Credit"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Two people came forward to represent the <a href="/wiki/Social_Credit_Party_(New_Zealand)" title="Social Credit Party (New Zealand)">Social Credit Party</a>, Cliff Beer and Rudolph Muller. Muller was selected. He had contested the <a href="/wiki/Tasman_(New_Zealand_electorate)" title="Tasman (New Zealand electorate)">Tasman</a> electorate in 1975.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Campaign">Campaign</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Campaign"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Courtney waged a local issues campaign and proved "an excellent choice" as a candidate. Courtney, a <a href="/wiki/Nelson_City_Council" title="Nelson City Council">Nelson City Councillor</a>, stressed Nelson's needs as a community as the major theme of his campaign which was managed by MPs <a href="/wiki/Colin_Moyle" title="Colin Moyle">Colin Moyle</a> and <a href="/wiki/Arthur_Faulkner" title="Arthur Faulkner">Arthur Faulkner</a>. Moyle, Faulkner and Labour leader <a href="/wiki/Bill_Rowling" title="Bill Rowling">Bill Rowling</a> spoke at meetings in support of Courtney and defended him from attacks by National that he was the wrong choice of a candidate and that Palmer was more suitable highlighting that Courtney had lived and worked in Nelson for the last 6 years while Palmer had not.<sup id="cite_ref-Major_Parties_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Major_Parties-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> He had "lived in Nelson for a number of years", was a <a href="/wiki/Nelson_City_Council" title="Nelson City Council">Nelson City Councillor</a> and struck a chord with electors: "Nelson is a unique place to live and consequently a local person (Mr Courtney) can best serve local interests".<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Malone's campaign manager was Stuart Bowater who planned a strategy of mobilising the 2,000 National Party members in the electorate and then expanding support across the electorate. Several National MPs including cabinet ministers campaigned for Malone as well.<sup id="cite_ref-Major_Parties_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Major_Parties-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Social Credit Party leader <a href="/wiki/Bruce_Beetham" title="Bruce Beetham">Bruce Beetham</a> campaigned in the by-election and drew on previous MP for Nelson <a href="/wiki/Harry_Atmore" title="Harry Atmore">Harry Atmore</a>'s record as an advocate for monetary reform and providing an independent voice for the area as evidence that Nelson residents could benefit from voting Social Credit instead of the main two parties.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Results">Results</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Results"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The following table gives the election results: </p> <table class="wikitable plainrowheaders"> <caption><a class="mw-selflink selflink">1976 Nelson by-election</a><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTENorton1988286_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTENorton1988286-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </caption> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col" colspan="2" style="width: 130px">Party </th> <th scope="col" style="width: 17em">Candidate </th> <th scope="col" style="width: 5em">Votes </th> <th scope="col" style="width: 3.5em">% </th> <th scope="col" style="width: 3.5em"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1038841319">.mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}</style><span class="rt-commentedText tooltip tooltip-dotted" title="Change in percentage value since previous election">±%</span> </th></tr> <tr class="vcard"> <td style="color:inherit;background-color:#D82A20; width:5px;"> </td> <td class="org" style="width:130px"><b><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour</a></b> </td> <td class="fn"><b><a href="/wiki/Mel_Courtney" title="Mel Courtney">Mel Courtney</a> </b> </td> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em"><b>8,418 </b> </td> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em"><b>48.18 </b> </td> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em"><b> </b> </td></tr> <tr class="vcard"> <td style="background-color: #00529F; width: 5px;"> </td> <td class="org" style="width: 130px"><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_National_Party" title="New Zealand National Party">National</a> </td> <td class="fn"><a href="/wiki/Peter_Malone_(mayor)" title="Peter Malone (mayor)">Peter Malone</a> </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">6,913 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">39.57 </td> <td style="color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; font-size: smaller; text-align: center;" class="table-na"> </td></tr> <tr class="vcard"> <td style="background-color: #4BB805; width: 5px;"> </td> <td class="org" style="width: 130px"><a href="/wiki/Values_Party" title="Values Party">Values</a> </td> <td class="fn">Gwen Struik </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">1,583 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">9.06 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">+2.43 </td></tr> <tr class="vcard"> <td style="background-color: #CBE800; width: 5px;"> </td> <td class="org" style="width: 130px"><a href="/wiki/Social_Credit_Party_(New_Zealand)" title="Social Credit Party (New Zealand)">Social Credit</a> </td> <td class="fn">Rudolph Muller </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">452 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">2.58 </td> <td style="color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; font-size: smaller; text-align: center;" class="table-na"> </td></tr> <tr class="vcard"> <td style="background-color: #00008B; width: 5px;"> </td> <td class="org" style="width: 130px"><a href="/wiki/Imperial_British_Conservative_Party" title="Imperial British Conservative Party">Imperial British Conservative</a> </td> <td class="fn">Coronita Weallens </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">38 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">0.21 </td> <td style="color: #2C2C2C; vertical-align: middle; font-size: smaller; text-align: center;" class="table-na"> </td></tr> <tr style="background-color:#F6F6F6"> <th colspan="3" style="text-align:right;">Informal votes </th> <td style="text-align:right;">66 </td> <td style="text-align:right;">0.37 </td> <td style="text-align:right;"> </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="3" style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">Majority </th> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">1,505 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">8.61 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em"> </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="3" style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em" scope="row"><a href="/wiki/Voter_turnout" title="Voter turnout">Turnout</a> </th> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">17,470 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">79.03 </td> <td style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em">–6.91 </td></tr> <tr> <th colspan="3" style="text-align:right;" scope="row"><a href="/wiki/Voter_registration" title="Voter registration">Registered electors</a> </th> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em">22,105 </td> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em"> </td> <td style="text-align:right; margin-right:0.5em"> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="color:inherit;background-color: #D82A20"> </td> <td colspan="2"><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_Labour_Party" title="New Zealand Labour Party">Labour</a> <b>hold</b> </td> <th style="text-align:right;"><a href="/wiki/Swing_(politics)" title="Swing (politics)">Swing</a> </th> <td style="text-align:right;"> </td> <td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Outcome">Outcome</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Outcome"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Labour fought a strong campaign and not only retained the seat but increased their majority as well, the victory at the polls vindicated the decision of the Labour Party's selection committee.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Courtney won with a majority of 1505 (he increased the majority Whitehead had achieved in the 1975 general election by an impressive 50 per cent-only three months after the National Party's landslide victory). Wellington's <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i> newspaper reported that: "The defeat was a shock to the super-confident <a href="/wiki/New_Zealand_National_Party" title="New Zealand National Party">National Party</a> organisers, including some of the party's top officials who were predicting a 2000-vote National majority".<sup id="cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Nelson_vote-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The success in Nelson periodically quietened the speculation about Rowling's leadership.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Nelson_vote-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation news cs1">"Former Speaker of House is Dead". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 9 January 1976. p. 1.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Former+Speaker+of+House+is+Dead&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1976-01-09&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"By-election procedures". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i>. 10 January 1976. p. 3.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Dominion&rft.atitle=By-election+procedures&rft.pages=3&rft.date=1976-01-10&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153–4-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153–4_3-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHenderson1981">Henderson 1981</a>, pp. 153–4.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Nelson Wants a Local Lad For By-Election Rather Than a Reject From Somewhere Else". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 15 January 1976. p. 2.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Nelson+Wants+a+Local+Lad+For+By-Election+Rather+Than+a+Reject+From+Somewhere+Else&rft.pages=2&rft.date=1976-01-15&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Jobs wait on ex-MPs". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i>. 10 January 1976. p. 3.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Dominion&rft.atitle=Jobs+wait+on+ex-MPs&rft.pages=3&rft.date=1976-01-10&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981154_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHenderson1981">Henderson 1981</a>, pp. 154.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Labour_Chooses-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Labour_Chooses_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Labour Chooses Coastal Shipping Enthusiast to Contest Nelson". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 4 February 1976. p. 6.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Labour+Chooses+Coastal+Shipping+Enthusiast+to+Contest+Nelson&rft.pages=6&rft.date=1976-02-04&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-local_man-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-local_man_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-local_man_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Labour chooses local man". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i>. 4 February 1976. p. 6.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Dominion&rft.atitle=Labour+chooses+local+man&rft.pages=6&rft.date=1976-02-04&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMitchell1981" class="citation news cs1">Mitchell, David (27 February 1981). "Can Mel follow where Atmore led?". <i><a href="/wiki/Auckland_Star" title="Auckland Star">Auckland Star</a></i>. p. 6.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Auckland+Star&rft.atitle=Can+Mel+follow+where+Atmore+led%3F&rft.pages=6&rft.date=1981-02-27&rft.aulast=Mitchell&rft.aufirst=David&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Nelson_vote-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Nelson_vote_10-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLong1976" class="citation news cs1"><a href="/wiki/Richard_Long_(journalist)" title="Richard Long (journalist)">Long, Richard</a> (1 March 1976). "Nelson vote makes Rowling's job safer". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i>. p. 1.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Dominion&rft.atitle=Nelson+vote+makes+Rowling%27s+job+safer&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1976-03-01&rft.aulast=Long&rft.aufirst=Richard&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-National_names-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-National_names_11-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"National names its man". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Dominion_(Wellington)" title="The Dominion (Wellington)">The Dominion</a></i>. 5 February 1976. p. 1.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Dominion&rft.atitle=National+names+its+man&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1976-02-05&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"National". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 4 February 1976. p. 6.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=National&rft.pages=6&rft.date=1976-02-04&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Candidate". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 2 February 1976. p. 3.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Candidate&rft.pages=3&rft.date=1976-02-02&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Major_Parties-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Major_Parties_14-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Major_Parties_14-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKuiper1976" class="citation news cs1">Kuiper, Hans (14 February 1976). "Major Parties Hard at Work Promoting Election to Nelsonians". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. p. 48.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Major+Parties+Hard+at+Work+Promoting+Election+to+Nelsonians&rft.pages=48&rft.date=1976-02-14&rft.aulast=Kuiper&rft.aufirst=Hans&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">(1976 Survey)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Nelson Has A Golden Opportunity, Says Leader of Social Credit". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)" title="The Evening Post (New Zealand)">The Evening Post</a></i>. 27 February 1976. p. 4.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Evening+Post&rft.atitle=Nelson+Has+A+Golden+Opportunity%2C+Says+Leader+of+Social+Credit&rft.pages=4&rft.date=1976-02-27&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTENorton1988286-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENorton1988286_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFNorton1988">Norton 1988</a>, p. 286.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation news cs1">"Clear-cut win to Labour in by-election". <i><a href="/wiki/The_Press" title="The Press">The Press</a></i>. 1 March 1976. p. 1.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=The+Press&rft.atitle=Clear-cut+win+to+Labour+in+by-election&rft.pages=1&rft.date=1976-03-01&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHenderson1981153_19-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHenderson1981">Henderson 1981</a>, pp. 153.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHenderson1981" class="citation book cs1">Henderson, John (1981). <i>Rowling: The Man and the Myth</i>. Auckland: Fraser Books. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-908620-03-9" title="Special:BookSources/0-908620-03-9"><bdi>0-908620-03-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Rowling%3A+The+Man+and+the+Myth&rft.place=Auckland&rft.pub=Fraser+Books&rft.date=1981&rft.isbn=0-908620-03-9&rft.aulast=Henderson&rft.aufirst=John&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFNorton1988" class="citation book cs1">Norton, Clifford (1988). <i>New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946-1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science</i>. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-475-11200-8" title="Special:BookSources/0-475-11200-8"><bdi>0-475-11200-8</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=New+Zealand+Parliamentary+Election+Results+1946-1987%3A+Occasional+Publications+No+1%2C+Department+of+Political+Science&rft.place=Wellington&rft.pub=Victoria+University+of+Wellington&rft.date=1988&rft.isbn=0-475-11200-8&rft.aulast=Norton&rft.aufirst=Clifford&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3A1976+Nelson+by-election" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li>"The Nelson By-Election: Politics in a New Zealand Community" by Levine, S (ed.) in <i>Politics in New Zealand: A Reader</i> (Sydney: George Allen and Unwin, Australia, 1978)</li> <li>"Spending the Allowance" p. 49 in <i>Political People</i> by Dreaver, A.J. (Auckland: Longman Paul, New Zealand, 1978)</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output 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title="Special:EditPage/Template:1939–1995 New Zealand by-elections"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="«_(1912–1938)_«_23x15px&#124;border_&#124;alt=New_Zealand&#124;link=New_Zealand_By-elections_in_New_Zealand_in_the_two-party_era_(1939–1995)_»_(1996–present)_»" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><small>« <i><a href="/wiki/Template:1912%E2%80%931938_New_Zealand_by-elections" title="Template:1912–1938 New Zealand by-elections">(1912–1938)</a></i> «</small>   <span style="padding:0 3.5em"></span><span class="flagicon"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/New_Zealand" title="New Zealand"><img alt="New Zealand" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/23px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png" decoding="async" width="23" height="12" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/35px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg/46px-Flag_of_New_Zealand.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1200" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></span> <a href="/wiki/List_of_New_Zealand_by-elections" title="List of New Zealand by-elections">By-elections in New Zealand</a> in the two-party era (1939–1995)   <span style="padding:0 3.5em"></span> <small>» <i><a href="/wiki/Template:1996%E2%80%93present_New_Zealand_by-elections" title="Template:1996–present New Zealand by-elections">(1996–present)</a></i> »</small></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/26th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="26th New Zealand Parliament">26th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1939_Christchurch_South_by-election" title="1939 Christchurch South by-election">Christchurch South, 1939</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1940_Auckland_West_by-election" title="1940 Auckland West by-election">Auckland West, 1940</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1940_Waipawa_by-election" title="1940 Waipawa by-election">Waipawa, 1940</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1941_Waitemata_by-election" title="1941 Waitemata by-election">Waitemata, 1941</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1941_Bay_of_Plenty_by-election" title="1941 Bay of Plenty by-election">Bay of Plenty, 1941</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1942_Mid-Canterbury_by-election" title="1942 Mid-Canterbury by-election">Mid-Canterbury, 1942</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1942_Temuka_by-election" title="1942 Temuka by-election">Temuka, 1942</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1942_Hauraki_by-election" title="1942 Hauraki by-election">Hauraki, 1942</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1943_Christchurch_East_by-election" title="1943 Christchurch East by-election">Christchurch East, 1943</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1943_Northern_Maori_by-election" class="mw-redirect" title="1943 Northern Maori by-election">Northern Maori, 1943</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/27th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="27th New Zealand Parliament">27th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1944_Awarua_by-election" title="1944 Awarua by-election">Awarua, 1944</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1945_Western_Maori_by-election" title="1945 Western Maori by-election">Western Maori, 1945</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1945_Hamilton_by-election" title="1945 Hamilton by-election">Hamilton, 1945</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1945_Dunedin_North_by-election" title="1945 Dunedin North by-election">Dunedin North, 1945</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1946_Raglan_by-election" title="1946 Raglan by-election">Raglan, 1946</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/28th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="28th New Zealand Parliament">28th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1947_Avon_by-election" title="1947 Avon by-election">Avon, 1947</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1947_Mount_Albert_by-election" title="1947 Mount Albert by-election">Mount Albert, 1947</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1947_Westland_by-election" title="1947 Westland by-election">Westland, 1947</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/29th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="29th New Zealand Parliament">29th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1951_Brooklyn_by-election" title="1951 Brooklyn by-election">Brooklyn, 1951</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/30th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="30th New Zealand Parliament">30th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1953_North_Dunedin_by-election" title="1953 North Dunedin by-election">Dunedin North, 1953</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1953_Onehunga_by-election" title="1953 Onehunga by-election">Onehunga, 1953</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1954_Onslow_by-election" title="1954 Onslow by-election">Onslow, 1954</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1954_Patea_by-election" title="1954 Patea by-election">Patea, 1954</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/31st_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="31st New Zealand Parliament">31st Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1956_Riccarton_by-election" title="1956 Riccarton by-election">Riccarton, 1956</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1957_Bay_of_Plenty_by-election" title="1957 Bay of Plenty by-election">Bay of Plenty, 1957</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/32nd_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="32nd New Zealand Parliament">32nd Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1959_Hamilton_by-election" title="1959 Hamilton by-election">Hamilton, 1959</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/33rd_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="33rd New Zealand Parliament">33rd Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1961_Hurunui_by-election" title="1961 Hurunui by-election">Hurunui, 1961</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1962_Waitaki_by-election" title="1962 Waitaki by-election">Waitaki, 1962</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1962_Buller_by-election" title="1962 Buller by-election">Buller, 1962</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1962_Timaru_by-election" title="1962 Timaru by-election">Timaru, 1962</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_Otahuhu_by-election" title="1963 Otahuhu by-election">Otahuhu, 1963</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_Northern_Maori_by-election" title="1963 Northern Maori by-election">Northern Maori, 1963</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1963_Grey_Lynn_by-election" title="1963 Grey Lynn by-election">Grey Lynn, 1963</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/34th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="34th New Zealand Parliament">34th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>There were no by-elections during the term of the 34th Parliament.</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/35th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="35th New Zealand Parliament">35th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1967_Southern_Maori_by-election" title="1967 Southern Maori by-election">Southern Maori, 1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Fendalton_by-election" title="1967 Fendalton by-election">Fendalton, 1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Petone_by-election" title="1967 Petone by-election">Petone, 1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Palmerston_North_by-election" title="1967 Palmerston North by-election">Palmerston North, 1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1967_Eastern_Maori_by-election" title="1967 Eastern Maori by-election">Eastern Maori, 1967</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1968_Hutt_by-election" title="1968 Hutt by-election">Hutt, 1968</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/36th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="36th New Zealand Parliament">36th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1970_Marlborough_by-election" title="1970 Marlborough by-election">Marlborough, 1970</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/37th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="37th New Zealand Parliament">37th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1974_Sydenham_by-election" title="1974 Sydenham by-election">Sydenham, 1974</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/38th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="38th New Zealand Parliament">38th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Nelson, 1976</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_Mangere_by-election" title="1977 Mangere by-election">Mangere, 1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1977_Pahiatua_by-election" title="1977 Pahiatua by-election">Pahiatua, 1977</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1978_Rangitikei_by-election" title="1978 Rangitikei by-election">Rangitikei, 1978</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/39th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="39th New Zealand Parliament">39th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1979_Christchurch_Central_by-election" title="1979 Christchurch Central by-election">Christchurch Central, 1979</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_Northern_Maori_by-election" title="1980 Northern Maori by-election">Northern Maori, 1980</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_Onehunga_by-election" title="1980 Onehunga by-election">Onehunga, 1980</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1980_East_Coast_Bays_by-election" title="1980 East Coast Bays by-election">East Coast Bays, 1980</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/40th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="40th New Zealand Parliament">40th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>There were no by-elections during the term of the 40th Parliament.</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/41st_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="41st New Zealand Parliament">41st Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1985_Timaru_by-election" title="1985 Timaru by-election">Timaru, 1985</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/42nd_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="42nd New Zealand Parliament">42nd Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>There were no by-elections during the term of the 42nd Parliament.</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/43rd_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="43rd New Zealand Parliament">43rd Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1992_Tamaki_by-election" title="1992 Tamaki by-election">Tamaki, 1992</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1992_Wellington_Central_by-election" title="1992 Wellington Central by-election">Wellington Central, 1992</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/1993_Tauranga_by-election" title="1993 Tauranga by-election">Tauranga, 1993</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/44th_New_Zealand_Parliament" title="44th New Zealand Parliament">44th Parliament</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/1994_Selwyn_by-election" title="1994 Selwyn by-election">Selwyn, 1994</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&oldid=1219459181">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1976_Nelson_by-election&oldid=1219459181</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:By-elections_in_New_Zealand" title="Category:By-elections in New Zealand">By-elections in New Zealand</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:1976_elections_in_New_Zealand" title="Category:1976 elections in New Zealand">1976 elections in New Zealand</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Politics_of_Nelson,_New_Zealand" title="Category:Politics of Nelson, New Zealand">Politics of Nelson, New Zealand</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:February_1976_events_in_New_Zealand" title="Category:February 1976 events in New Zealand">February 1976 events in New 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