2011 Tongatapu 9 by-election

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, 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]

Tongatapu 9 by-election
15 September 2011
 
Candidate Falisi Tupou Sevenitini Toumoʻua Viliami Fukofuka
Party DPFI (unknown) (unknown)
Popular vote 745 483 469
Percentage 32.8% 21.3% 20.7%

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]

Tongatapu 9 by-election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DPFI Falisi Tupou 745 32.83% -1.2%
(unknown) Sevenitini Toumoʻua 483 21.29% +5.8%
(unknown) Viliami Fukofuka 469 20.67% +10.9%
(unknown) Siaosi ʻEnosi Tuʻipulotu 254 11.20% +5.7%
(unknown) ʻEpeli Taufa Kalemani 199 8.77% +6.9%
(unknown) Konisitutone Simana Kami 119 5.24% +3.3%
Turnout 2,269 76.68%
Majority 262 11.55% -7%
DPFI hold Swing -1.2%

2010 Result
Tongan general election, 2010: Tongatapu 9
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
DPFI Kaveinga Faʻanunu 908 34.0
(unknown) Sevenitini Toumoʻua 414 15.5
(unknown) Viliami Fukofuka 262 9.8
(unknown) Filimone Fifita 241 9.0
(unknown) ʻAisake ʻEtimoni Tuʻiono 229 8.6
(unknown) Siaosi ʻEnosi Tuʻipulotu 147 5.5
(unknown) Semisi Kailahi 136 5.1
(unknown) Tonga Tongilava Lemoto 110 4.1
(unknown) ʻEpeli Taufa Kalemani 51 1.9
(unknown) Konisitutone Simana Kami 50 1.9
(unknown) Falati Papani 49 1.8
(unknown) Mosese Latu 22 0.8
(unknown) Sione ʻUmeahola Faeamani 21 0.8
(unknown) ʻOfa Fatai 18 0.7
(unknown) Samisoni Lotaki Kanongataʻa 15 0.6
Turnout 2673
Majority 494 18.5
DPFI win (new seat)

References
  1. "September 15 by-election for Tongatapu 9". Matangi Tonga. 5 August 2011.
  2. Results of the November 2010 general election, Matangi Tonga
  3. "Six candidates registered for upcoming Tongatapu 9 By-Election" Archived 23 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Tongan government, 19 August 2011
  4. "Falisi Tupou new Tongatapu 9 PR", Matangi Tonga, 15 September 2011
  5. "Democratic Party wins Tongan by-election", ABC Radio Australia, 15 September 2011
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