| Election Name: | 1921 Patea by-election |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Flag Year: | 1921 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1919 New Zealand general election |
| Previous Year: | 1919 general |
| Next Election: | 1922 New Zealand general election |
| Next Year: | 1922 general |
| Turnout: | 5,481 |
| Candidate1: | Edwin Dixon |
| Party1: | Reform Party (New Zealand) |
| Popular Vote1: | 2,620 |
| Candidate2: | William Morrison |
| Party2: | New Zealand Liberal Party |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,315 |
| Candidate3: | Lew McIlvride |
| Party3: | New Zealand Labour Party |
| Popular Vote3: | 546 |
| Member | |
| Before Election: | Walter Powdrell |
| After Election: | Edwin Dixon |
| Before Party: | Reform Party (New Zealand) |
| After Party: | Reform Party (New Zealand) |
The Patea by-election was a by-election in the New Zealand electorate of Patea, a rural seat on the west coast of the North Island.
The by-election was held on 13 April 1921, and was precipitated by the resignation of sitting Reform member of parliament, Walter Powdrell. The Reform Party chose Edwin Dixon, the Mayor of Hawera, as their official candidate, and apparently Clutha Mackenzie was their second preference. Earlier, Thomas William McDonald announced his intention to stand for the Reform Party. However, he left without contesting the by-election.[1] [2]
Labour candidate Lew McIlvride polled a small vote compared to Dixon and Morrison. However, he was the only one of the three candidates who increased the vote for his party compared with and was rewarded with contesting a winnable seat in in Napier, which he won.[3]
The following table gives the election results: