1918 Palmerston by-election

The Palmerston by-election of 1918 was a by-election held in the Palmerston electorate during the 19th New Zealand Parliament, on 19 December 1918. The by-election was won by the sitting Mayor of Palmerston North, Jimmy Nash with a majority of 315.

1918 Palmerston by-election

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Turnout5,363
 
Candidate Jimmy Nash Alexander Galbraith Ernest Hugh Crabb
Party Reform Labour Liberal
Popular vote 2,229 1,914 1,119
Percentage 41.56 35.68 20.86

Member before election

David Buick
Reform

Elected Member

Jimmy Nash
Reform

Background

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The contest was triggered by the death of incumbent MP David Buick of the Reform Party on 18 November 1918 during the influenza epidemic.[1] Under the terms of the coalition agreement between Reform and the Liberal's a condition was made not to oppose each other in by-elections for deceased or retiring MP's from their own parties. However, both contested the seat after failing to agree on a joint National Government nominee.[2]

Results

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The following table gives the election results:

1918 Palmerston by-election[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jimmy Nash 2,229 41.56
Labour Alexander Galbraith 1,914 35.68
Liberal Ernest Hugh Crabb[4] 1,119 20.86
Independent Reform A. Buchanan 101 1.88
Majority 315 5.87
Turnout 5,363

Notes

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  1. ^ "David Buick : Member of Parliament for Palmerston North 1908–1918" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  2. ^ Gustafson 1980, p. 136.
  3. ^ "By-election Results". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LV, no. 17038. 20 December 1918. p. 4. Retrieved 24 August 2015.
  4. ^ Hughes, Beryl. "Helen Priscilla Crabb". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 August 2016.

References

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