Type: | parliamentary |
Country: | Niue |
Previous Year: | 2017 |
Previous Election: | 2017 Niuean general election |
Next Year: | 2023 |
Next Election: | 2023 Niuean general election |
Election Date: | 30 May 2020 |
Seats For Election: | All 20 members of the Niue Assembly |
Premier | |
Before Election: | Toke Talagi |
After Election: | Dalton Tagelagi |
Before Party: | Independent politician |
After Party: | Independent politician |
General elections were held in Niue on 30 May 2020 for the 20 members of the Niue Assembly.[1] The election resulted in the defeat of Premier Toke Talagi, who lost his seat. Fifteen incumbents were re-elected, including three who were unopposed. In Mutalu, a tie between two candidates resulted in one being elected by a coin toss.
Following the elections the Assembly elected Dalton Tagelagi as Premier.
The 20 members of the Assembly are elected by two methods; 14 are elected from single-member consistencies using first-past-the-post voting and six are elected from a single nationwide constituency by multiple non-transferable vote.[2] There are currently no political parties. After the election, the Members of the Assembly elect a Speaker of the Assembly from outside parliament, and a Premier, who must be an MP. The Premier then chooses a Cabinet.
A total of 54 candidates contested the elections, of which 26 contested the six common roll seats. All twenty incumbents sought re-election. Three candidates – Mona Ainuu in Tuapa, Enetama Lipitoa in Namukulu and Talaititama Talaiti in Vaiea – were elected unopposed.[3] One of the candidates was former New Zealand MP and mayor of Wellington Mark Blumsky, who had become a naturalised Niuean citizen after ten years' residence.
The Premier Toke Talagi, in office for the previous twelve years, lost his seat, finishing tenth in the six-seat common roll constituency.[4] Five of the elected members were new to the Assembly. After a draw in Mutalau, the result was decided by a coin toss.[4]
The results of the election reduced the number of women in the Assembly dropped from 5 to 3, with only one women in cabinet, Mona Ainuu.[5]
In a secret ballot, the Assembly elected Dalton Tagelagi as Premier in a 13-7 vote against O'Love Jacobsen, and Hima Douglas was elected Speaker on the third ballot.[6] [7] The new Cabinet was announced on June 11.[8]
Constituency | Candidate | Votes | % | Results | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alofi North | 37 | 50.7 | |||
Tutuli Heka | 36 | 49.3 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 73 | 100 | |||
Alofi South | Dalton Tagelagi | 108 | 50.9 | ||
Charles Togahai | 63 | 29.7 | |||
Laga Lavini | 41 | 19.3 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 212 | 100 | |||
Avatele | Pita Vakanofiti | 30 | 39.5 | ||
Atapana Siakimotu | 24 | 31.6 | |||
align=left | Hetututama Hetutu | 22 | 28.9 | ||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 76 | 100 | |||
Hakupu | Richie Mautama | 52 | 46.0 | ||
Michael Jackson | 35 | 30.1 | Unseated | ||
Fapoi Akesi | 26 | 23.0 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 113 | 100 | |||
Hikutavake | Opili Talafasi | 14 | 56 | ||
Pamela Togiakona | 11 | 44 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 25 | 100 | |||
Lakepa | John Operator Tiakia | 37 | 77.1 | ||
Halene Kupa Magatogia | 11 | 22.9 | Unseated | ||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 48 | 100 | |||
Liku | Pokotoa Sipeli | 36 | 67.9 | ||
Sionetasi Pulehetoa | 17 | 32.1 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 53 | 100 | |||
Makefu | Tofua Puletama | 28 | 63.6 | ||
Mary Anne Talagi | 16 | 36.4 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 44 | 100 | |||
Mutalau | Makaseau Ioane | 26 | 50 | ||
Maureen Melekitama | 26 | 50 | Unseated | ||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 52 | 100 | |||
Namukulu | Jack Willie Lipitoa | - | - | ||
Tamakautoga | Ricky Makani | 57 | 68.7 | ||
align=left | Peter Funaki | 26 | 31.3 | Unseated | |
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 83 | 100 | |||
Toi | Dion Taufitu | 15 | 68.2 | ||
Heketoa Kaulima | 7 | 31.8 | |||
align=left | Blank or invalid votes | 0 | align=center | – | |
Total | 22 | 100 | |||
Tuapa | Mona Ainu'u | - | - | ||
Vaiea | Talaititama Talaiti | - | - |