2011 Tongatapu 9 by-election explained

Election Name:Tongatapu 9 by-election
Type:presidential
Country:Tonga
Seats For Election:Tongatapu 9 constituency
Ongoing:no
Party Name:no
Previous Election:2010 Tongan general election
Previous Year:2010
Election Date:15 September 2011
Candidate1:Falisi Tupou
Colour1:FF0000
Party1:DPFI
Popular Vote1:745
Percentage1:32.8%
Candidate2:Sevenitini Toumoʻua
Party2:(unknown)
Popular Vote2:483
Percentage2:21.3%
Candidate3:Viliami Fukofuka
Party3:(unknown)
Popular Vote3:469
Percentage3:20.7%
Before Election:Kaveinga Faʻanunu
Before Party:Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands
After Election:to be determined

A by-election was held in the Tongatapu 9 constituency of Tonga on 15 September 2011. It was triggered by the death of the incumbent, the first time MP Kaveinga Faʻanunu, who died of head and neck cancer on 24 July. Under the first past the post system, Faʻanunu had won the newly established single-member seat for the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands in the November 2010 general election, with 34% of the vote, and a majority of 494 votes (18.5%), appearing to make it a relatively safe seat for the party (which was a junior partner in Lord Tuʻivakano's government).[1] [2]

Candidates

On 18 August, the Tongan government announced that six candidates had been registered for the by-election, without however specifying what political party any of them might be a member of. They were Konisitutone Simana Kamii, Siaosi ʻEnosi Tuʻipulotu, Viliami Fukofuka, Sevenitini Toumoʻua, ʻEpeli Taufa Kalimani, and Falisi Tupou. The first five had stood unsuccessfully in the November general election – most notably Sevenitini Toumoʻua, who had finished second to Faʻanunu with 15.5% of the vote.[3]

Result

Falisi Tupou, the candidate of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, won the seat with 32.8% of the vote.[4] [5]

Notes and References

  1. News: September 15 by-election for Tongatapu 9 . . 5 August 2011.
  2. Web site: Results of the November 2010 general election . Matangi Tonga . 26 November 2010.
  3. http://www.mic.gov.to/press-releases/2846?task=view "Six candidates registered for upcoming Tongatapu 9 By-Election"
  4. http://www.matangitonga.to/article/tonganews/parliament/20110915_tonga_byelection.shtml "Falisi Tupou new Tongatapu 9 PR"
  5. http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201109/3318755.htm "Democratic Party wins Tongan by-election"