Whanganui (known as Wanganui until 1996) is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first established in 1860 for the 3rd Parliament and has existed continuously since then.
Quick Facts Region, Major settlements ...
Close
It is held by Carl Bates of the National Party, who won it in the 2023 general election.
In the 1860 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of representatives by 12, reflecting the immense population growth since the original electorates were established in 1853. The redistribution created 15 additional electorates with between one and three members, and the Wanganui and Rangitikei electorate was split into two separate electorates: the Rangitikei electorate and the Wanganui electorate, with one member each.
The current electorate is based on the urban area of Whanganui, the towns Ōpunake and Hāwera, and smaller centres Kaponga, Eltham, Normanby, Manaia, Patea and Waverley; broadly speaking, the Whanganui and South Taranaki local government districts.
Henry Shafto Harrison was the first representative. His 7 February 1861 election was declared invalid. He stood again in the 1861 by-election and was elected again. He then served the electorate until the end of the term in 1866.
Harrison, John Bryce and John Garner contested the 1866 election. The nomination meeting was held on Friday, 2 March 1866. Harrison, Bryce and Garner received 51, 102 and 7 votes, respectively, at the election on the following day. Bryce was thus declared elected.[4] Bryce resigned in 1867.
The resulting 6 May 1867 by-election was won by Harrison, and he served until the dissolution of Parliament on 30 December 1870.
Bryce was again elected in the 30 January 1871 election. This time, he served three parliamentary terms until the dissolution in November 1881.
Wanganui became a two-member electorate for the 12 January 1876 election. Apart from Bryce, Julius Vogel was elected, who was later to become Premier. Vogel resigned on 9 September 1876.
The resulting 2 October 1876 by-election was won by William Fox, resulting in his second period of representation of a Whanganui-centred electorate. He served until the end of the term on 15 August 1879.
Bryce and John Ballance won the 1879 election. They both served until the end of the term, with Parliament being dissolved on 8 November 1881.
For the 1881 election, the electorate reverted to being represented by a single member. The election, held on 9 December, was won by William Hogg Watt. He served until the end of the term, with Parliament being dissolved on 27 June 1884.
The 1884 election was once again won by John Ballance. This time, he would serve in three successive Parliaments. He died in office on 27 April 1893 during the 11th Parliament. Ballance formed the Liberal Party after the 1890 election and became its leader, and thus introduced party politics to New Zealand. The Liberal Government of New Zealand would last for 21 years and is the longest serving government in New Zealand's history.
Ballance's death triggered the 1893 by-election, which was held on 13 June and won by Archibald Willis, who was re-elected at the 1893 election a few months later.
Gilbert Carson was successful in the 1896 election. He served one term. He was succeeded by Willis in the 1899 election, who served two more terms for the electorate.
James Thomas Hogan won the 1905 election. He served two terms and was defeated in the 1911 election by Bill Veitch.
Veitch had a long career in the electorate, serving until 1935, when he defeated. He was initially an Independent, but joined the Liberal Party in 1925, and changed to the United Party in 1928.
Joe Cotterill won the electorate in the 1935 election for the Labour Party. He also had a long career, retiring in 1960 from the Wanganui seat.
He was succeeded by his party colleague George Spooner in the 1960 election, who served three terms and was defeated in 1969 election by Bill Tolhurst from the National Party.
Tolhurst served one term and at the 1972 election, the electorate returned to Labour. Russell Marshall served six terms and retired in 1990.
In the 1990 election, Cam Campion secured the seat for National. He retired in 1993 and died two years after that.
The seat returned to Labour again, with Jill Pettis winning the 1993 election. She was the first woman to represent Wanganui. She served four terms, until her defeat in the 2005 election by Chester Borrows of the National Party.[13] Pettis served an additional term as a List MP until 2008. Borrows announced in 2016 that he would not seek reelection at the 2017 general election[14] and the seat was won by Harete Hipango, retaining it for the National Party. She however, was defeated after one term by Labour's Steph Lewis.
Several members (Fox, Vogel and Ballance) became Premier. Terry Heffernan stood in the electorate five times for four parties, from 1981 to 1993.
List MPs
Members of Parliament elected from party lists in elections where that person also unsuccessfully contested the electorate. Unless otherwise stated, all MPs terms began and ended at general elections.
More information Election, Winner ...
Close
2023 election
More information 2023 general election, Notes: ...
2023 general election: Whanganui[15] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Carl Bates |
18,484 |
47.10 |
+12.73 |
14,567 |
36.80 |
+10.59 |
|
Labour |
N Steph Lewis |
12,972 |
33.05 |
–21.72 |
11,002 |
27.79 |
–23.60 |
|
NZ First |
William Arnold |
3,139 |
7.99 |
— |
4,494 |
11.35 |
+8.04 |
|
Green |
Marion Sanson |
2,049 |
5.22 |
+1.59 |
2,980 |
7.52 |
+2.67 |
|
ACT |
Craig Dredge |
1,683 |
4.28 |
— |
3,749 |
9.47 |
+1.58 |
|
Animal Justice |
Sandra Kyle |
402 |
1.02 |
— |
99 |
0.25 |
— |
|
Te Pāti Māori |
|
602 |
1.52 |
+0.98 |
|
NZ Loyal |
|
544 |
1.37 |
— |
|
Opportunities |
|
463 |
1.16 |
+0.22 |
|
NewZeal |
|
315 |
0.79 |
+0.33 |
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
214 |
0.54 |
+0.06 |
|
New Conservatives |
|
105 |
0.26 |
–1.41 |
|
Freedoms NZ |
|
88 |
0.22 |
— |
|
DemocracyNZ |
|
77 |
0.19 |
— |
|
Women's Rights |
|
30 |
0.07 |
— |
|
Leighton Baker Party |
|
20 |
0.05 |
— |
|
New Nation |
|
17 |
0.04 |
— |
Informal votes |
511 |
|
|
210 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
39,240 |
|
|
39,576 |
|
|
|
National gain from Labour |
Majority |
5,512 |
14.04 |
–5.92 |
|
Close
2020 election
More information 2020 general election, Notes: ...
2020 general election: Whanganui[16] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
Labour |
Steph Lewis |
22,299 |
54.32 |
+13.98 |
21,228 |
51.39 |
+14.95 |
|
National |
N Harete Hipango |
14,108 |
34.37 |
-10.54 |
10,828 |
26.21 |
-18.52 |
|
Green |
Alan Clay |
1,491 |
3.63 |
-1.91 |
2,004 |
4.85 |
+0.15 |
|
New Conservative |
Johnathan Marshall |
784 |
1.91 |
— |
690 |
1.67 |
+1.42 |
|
Advance NZ |
Charlotte Weber |
773 |
1.88 |
— |
531 |
1.28 |
— |
|
Independent |
Hillary Kieft |
367 |
0.89 |
— |
|
|
Social Credit |
Heather Marion Smith |
188 |
0.46 |
— |
63 |
0.46 |
+0.41 |
|
ACT |
|
3,260 |
7.89 |
+7.45 |
|
NZ First |
|
1,368 |
3.31 |
-6.71 |
|
Opportunities |
|
390 |
0.94 |
-0.75 |
|
Māori Party |
|
222 |
0.54 |
+0.11 |
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
198 |
0.48 |
+0.07 |
|
ONE |
|
189 |
0.46 |
— |
|
Outdoors |
|
43 |
0.10 |
+0.03 |
|
Sustainable NZ |
|
24 |
0.06 |
— |
|
Vision NZ |
|
10 |
0.02 |
— |
|
TEA |
|
5 |
0.01 |
— |
|
Heartland |
|
2 |
0.00 |
— |
Informal votes |
1,035 |
|
|
253 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
41,045 |
|
|
41,308 |
|
|
|
Labour gain from National |
Majority |
8,191 |
19.96 |
+24.53 |
|
Close
2017 election
More information 2017 general election, Notes: ...
2017 general election: Whanganui[17] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Harete Hipango |
16,751 |
44.91 |
−8.24 |
16,874 |
44.73 |
−2.4 |
|
Labour |
Steph Lewis |
15,045 |
40.34 |
+0.03 |
13,748 |
36.44 |
+10.99 |
|
NZ First |
Reg Skipworth |
2,580 |
6.92 |
— |
3,783 |
10.02 |
−1.9 |
|
Green |
Nicola Patrick |
2,067 |
5.54 |
— |
1,775 |
4.70 |
−2.49 |
|
ACT |
Alan Davidson |
294 |
0.79 |
+0.07 |
168 |
0.44 |
−0.03 |
|
Opportunities |
|
639 |
1.69 |
— |
|
Māori Party |
|
162 |
0.43 |
−0.15 |
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
154 |
0.41 |
−0.13 |
|
Conservative |
|
94 |
0.25 |
−4.75 |
|
Ban 1080 |
|
56 |
0.15 |
−0.01 |
|
Outdoors |
|
25 |
0.07 |
— |
|
People's Party |
|
23 |
0.06 |
— |
|
United Future |
|
23 |
0.06 |
−0.15 |
|
Democrats |
|
20 |
0.05 |
−0.11 |
|
Mana |
|
12 |
0.03 |
−0.7[b] |
|
Internet |
|
7 |
0.02 |
−0.71[c] |
Informal votes |
560 |
|
|
161 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
37,297 |
|
|
37,724 |
|
|
|
National hold |
Majority |
1,706 |
4.57 |
−8.27 |
|
Close
2014 election
More information 2014 general election, Notes: ...
2014 general election: Whanganui[18] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Y Chester Borrows |
18,649 |
53.15 |
-0.54 |
16,687 |
47.13 |
-0.43 |
|
Labour |
Hamish McDouall |
14,144 |
40.31 |
+2.80 |
9,012 |
25.45 |
-1.96 |
|
Conservative |
Kim MacIntyre |
872 |
2.49 |
+2.49 |
1,771 |
5.00 |
+1.77 |
|
Māori Party |
Nancy Tuaine |
610 |
1.74 |
+1.74 |
205 |
0.58 |
+0.13 |
|
ACT |
Alan Daniel Davidson |
252 |
0.72 |
+0.29 |
167 |
0.47 |
-0.61 |
|
Democrats |
Heather Marion Smith |
208 |
0.59 |
+0.20 |
57 |
0.16 |
+0.01 |
|
NZ First |
|
4,221 |
11.92 |
+2.39 |
|
Green |
|
2,546 |
7.19 |
-1.77 |
|
Internet Mana |
|
259 |
0.73 |
+0.49 |
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
190 |
0.54 |
-0.01 |
|
United Future |
|
75 |
0.21 |
-0.24 |
|
Ban 1080 |
|
56 |
0.16 |
+0.16 |
|
Civilian |
|
22 |
0.06 |
+0.06 |
|
Focus |
|
14 |
0.04 |
+0.04 |
|
Independent Coalition |
|
13 |
0.04 |
+0.04 |
Informal votes |
350 |
|
|
112 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
35,085 |
|
|
35,407 |
|
|
|
National hold |
Majority |
4,505 |
12.84 |
-3.34 |
|
Close
2011 election
More information 2011 general election, Notes: ...
2011 general election: Whanganui[19] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Y Chester Borrows |
16,743 |
53.69 |
-2.61 |
15,151 |
47.56 |
+1.25 |
|
Labour |
Hamish McDouall |
11,697 |
37.51 |
-0.10 |
8,733 |
27.41 |
-8.10 |
|
Green |
John Milnes |
1,444 |
4.63 |
+0.19 |
2,855 |
8.96 |
+3.68 |
|
NZ First |
Ian Brougham |
1,043 |
3.34 |
+3.34 |
3,035 |
9.53 |
+4.39 |
|
ACT |
Alan Daniel Davidson |
135 |
0.43 |
-0.56 |
345 |
1.08 |
-1.99 |
|
Democrats |
Heather Marion Smith |
121 |
0.39 |
-0.28 |
47 |
0.15 |
-0.07 |
|
Conservative |
|
1,030 |
3.23 |
-+3.23 |
|
Māori Party |
|
225 |
0.71 |
-0.29 |
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
176 |
0.55 |
+0.21 |
|
United Future |
|
143 |
0.45 |
-0.20 |
|
Mana |
|
75 |
0.24 |
+0.24 |
|
Libertarianz |
|
22 |
0.07 |
+0.02 |
|
Alliance |
|
21 |
0.07 |
-0.02 |
Informal votes |
616 |
|
|
235 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
31,183 |
|
|
31,858 |
|
|
|
National hold |
Majority |
5,046 |
16.18 |
-2.51 |
|
Close
Electorate (as at 11 November 2011): 43,350[20]
2008 election
More information 2008 general election, Notes: ...
2008 general election: Whanganui[21] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Y Chester Borrows |
19,072 |
56.30 |
|
15,869 |
46.30 |
|
|
Labour |
Hamish McDouall |
12,739 |
37.61 |
|
12,170 |
35.51 |
|
|
Green |
John Milnes |
1,503 |
4.44 |
|
1,809 |
5.28 |
|
|
ACT |
Alan Davidson |
336 |
0.99 |
|
1,052 |
3.07 |
|
|
Democrats |
Heather Marion Smith |
225 |
0.66 |
|
73 |
0.21 |
|
|
NZ First |
|
1,761 |
5.14 |
|
|
Māori Party |
|
342 |
1.00 |
|
|
Progressive |
|
253 |
0.74 |
|
|
Bill and Ben |
|
249 |
0.73 |
|
|
United Future |
|
224 |
0.65 |
|
|
Kiwi |
|
186 |
0.54 |
|
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
116 |
0.34 |
|
|
Family Party |
|
91 |
0.27 |
|
|
Alliance |
|
28 |
0.08 |
|
|
Libertarianz |
|
18 |
0.05 |
|
|
Workers Party |
|
16 |
0.05 |
|
|
Pacific |
|
10 |
0.03 |
|
|
RONZ |
|
3 |
0.01 |
|
|
RAM |
|
2 |
0.01 |
|
Informal votes |
304 |
|
|
162 |
|
|
Total valid votes |
33,875 |
|
|
34,272 |
|
|
|
National hold |
Majority |
6,333 |
|
|
|
Close
2005 election
More information 2005 general election, Notes: ...
2005 general election: Whanganui[22] |
Notes: |
Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Y or N denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively. |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Party votes |
% |
±% |
|
National |
Chester Borrows |
15,846 |
49.28 |
+9.70 |
13,417 |
41.13 |
|
|
Labour |
N Jill Pettis |
13,444 |
41.81 |
-4.56 |
13,045 |
39.99 |
|
|
Green |
John Milnes |
1,171 |
3.64 |
|
1,466 |
4.49 |
|
|
United Future |
David Ball |
502 |
1.56 |
|
885 |
2.71 |
|
|
Māori Party |
Aaron Makutu |
429 |
1.33 |
|
265 |
0.841 |
|
|
Progressive |
Debbie Lucas |
371 |
1.15 |
|
448 |
1.37 |
|
|
One NZ |
Ian Brougham |
214 |
0.67 |
|
52 |
0.16 |
|
|
Democrats |
Malcolm Murchie |
175 |
0.54 |
|
68 |
0.21 |
|
|
NZ First |
|
2,185 |
6.70 |
|
|
ACT |
|
296 |
0.91 |
|
|
Destiny |
|
282 |
0.86 |
|
|
Legalise Cannabis |
|
68 |
0.21 |
|
|
Christian Heritage |
|
62 |
0.19 |
|
|
Alliance |
|
31 |
0.10 |
|
|
99 MP |
|
18 |
0.06 |
|
|
Libertarianz |
|
16 |
0.05 |
|
|
Family Rights |
|
7 |
0.02 |
|
|
RONZ |
|
7 |
0.02 |
|
|
Direct Democracy |
|
6 |
0.02 |
|
Informal votes |
376 |
|
|
144 |
|
|
|
National gain from Labour |
Majority |
2,402 |
7.47 |
+14.26 |
|
Close
1993 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1990 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1987 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1984 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1981 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1978 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1975 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1972 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1969 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1966 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1963 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1960 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1957 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1954 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1951 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1949 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1946 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1943 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1938 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1935 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1931 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1928 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1925 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1922 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1919 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1914 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1911 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1908 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1899 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1893 by-election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1890 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1887 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1884 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1881 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1879 election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1876 by-election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close
1867 by-election
More information Party, Candidate ...
Close