This is a list of
by-election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...
s to the
Parliament of Tuvalu since the
First Parliament in 1977, with the names of the incumbent and victor. There are no political parties in
Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...
, but some by-elections enhanced or reduced a government's parliamentary majority.
Where seats changed between factions at the election, the result is highlighted: light grey for a pro-government gain, dark grey for an opposition gain.
The information for this article dates from 1997 onwards. Information on earlier by-elections is not presently available.
This list is correct as of May 2019.
First Parliament (1977-1981)
''No information known at present''.
Second Parliament (1981-1985)
''No information known at present''.
Third Parliament (1985-1989)
Fourth Parliament (1989-1993)
''No information known at present''.
Fifth Parliament (1993)
''No information known at present''.
Sixth Parliament (1993-1998)
''Information incomplete. No known by-elections in 1997 or 1998''.
Seventh Parliament (1998-2002)
''Information incomplete.''
The Electoral Provisions (Parliament) Act of Tuvalu was amended in May 2000 to increase the membership of parliament from 12 to 15 MPs.
Special elections were held in November 2000 to fill the new positions. The following 3 MPs attended their first parliamentary session on 7 December 2000.
:
Namoto Kelisiano, representing
Nanumaga
:
Amasone Kilei
Amasone Kilei was a Tuvaluan politician who represented Nui. He was appointed the Minister of Health and the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, in the government of Lagitupu Tuilimu, who was acting prime minister from 8 December 2000 t ...
, representing
Nui
:
Saufatu Sopoanga, representing
Nukufetau
Nukufetau is an atoll that is part of the nation of Tuvalu. The atoll was claimed by the US under the Guano Islands Act some time in the 19th century and was ceded in a treaty of friendship concluded in 1979 and coming into force in 1983. It has a ...
Eighth Parliament (2002-2006)
Ninth Parliament (2006-2010)
''No known by-elections''.
Tenth Parliament (2010-2015)
In the
2011 Nui by-election Pelenike Isaia, the widow of
Isaia Italeli who had died in July 2011,
was elected by the constituency of
Nui. Pelenike Isaia becoming the second woman to enter the Parliament of Tuvalu.
Although there are no political parties in Tuvalu, Members of Parliament align themselves with the government or with the opposition, and Italeli's death had resulted in
prime minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Willy Telavi's government losing its one-seat majority in
parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
.
The by-election was thus highly important to the government's survival.
The
was due to the death of finance minister
in December 2012. The government delayed the by-election for six months, despite protests from the Opposition. When the Chief Justice of the
High Court of Tuvalu ordered that it be held, it was won comfortably by opposition candidate
Elisala Pita.
"Tuvalu’s Opposition waiting to hear from GG"
, '' Islands Business'', 1 July 2013
A constitution crisis developed as Willy Telavi refused to re-call parliament as he argued that the Constitution of Tuvalu
The Constitution of Tuvalu states that it is “the supreme law of Tuvalu” and that “all other laws shall be interpreted and applied subject to this Constitution”; it sets out the Principles of the Bill of Rights and the Protection of the ...
only required parliament to be summonsed once a year and so that he had until December 2013 to call parliament. The governor-general Iakoba Italeli then proceeded to exercise his reserve powers to order Mr Telavi's removal and the appointment of Enele Sopoaga
Enele Sosene Sopoaga PC (born 10 February 1956) is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.
Sopoaga was elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Mi ...
as interim prime minister. The Governor General also ordered that Parliament sit on Friday 2 August to allow a vote of no-confidence in Mr Telavi and his government. Telavi then proceeding to write to Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
(as the head of state of Tuvalu) informing her that he was dismissing Mr Italeli from his position as governor-general.
On Friday 2 August Willy Tevali faced a motion of no confidence, the voting was eight for the motion, four against and one abstention - the speaker abstained from voting on the motion. On Sunday 4 August the parliament elected Enele Sopoaga
Enele Sosene Sopoaga PC (born 10 February 1956) is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.
Sopoaga was elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Mi ...
as prime minister;
During the parliamentary crisis Taom Tanukale
Taom Tanukale is a Tuvaluan politician.
He began his career in national politics when he was elected to Parliament in a by-election in May 2005, as MP for Nui, following the death of his predecessor, Amasone Kilei. He joined Prime Minister Ma ...
, the health minister, resigned from parliament (and thus also from the government). The 2013 Nui by-election
A by-election was held in the Nui constituency in Tuvalu on 10 September 2013. It was triggered by the resignation of the incumbent, MP Taom Tanukale, the Minister for Health, in the government of Willy Telavi.
Result of the by-election
The N ...
was held on 10 September. The government of Enele Sopoaga
Enele Sosene Sopoaga PC (born 10 February 1956) is a Tuvaluan diplomat and politician who was Prime Minister of Tuvalu from 2013 to 2019.
Sopoaga was elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Mi ...
had a majority of two going into the by-election. Leneuoti Maatusi was declared the winner, polling 297 of the 778 registered voters. Maatusi has been a civil servant and served as the Secretary of the Nui Falekaupule. He beat Palemene Anelu, a recent graduate of the University of the South Pacific, who received 206 votes and Taom Tanukale
Taom Tanukale is a Tuvaluan politician.
He began his career in national politics when he was elected to Parliament in a by-election in May 2005, as MP for Nui, following the death of his predecessor, Amasone Kilei. He joined Prime Minister Ma ...
, the sitting member, whose resignation from parliament caused the by-election, who received 160 votes. After the by-election Leneuoti Maatusi committed to support prime minister Enele Sopoaga.
The was called because Falesa Pitoi
Dr. Falesa Pitoi is a Tuvaluan politician.
A dentist by profession, he began his career in national politics when he was elected to Parliament in the August 2006 general election as MP for Nanumaga. He then served for a time as Minister for ...
had been unable to attend parliament due to illness. In late 2013, following an assessment of Pitoi's health, the governor-general declared a vacancy for the constituency of Nanumaga in accordance with Section 99 (2) of the Tuvalu Constitution. The polling date for the by-election occurred on a 14 January 2014 and the candidates were Halo Tuavai, Otinielu Tauteleimalae Tausi and Pai Teatu. Otinielu Tausi was the successful candidate. Tausi supported Prime Minister Enele Sopoaga, which gave the government a two-thirds majority of the members of parliament.
The 2014 Nanumea by-election A by-election was held in the Nanumea constituency in Tuvalu on 19 September 2014. It followed the resignation of the incumbent, Willy Telavi, in August.
Context
Willy Telavi had been Prime Minister of Tuvalu until August 2013, when he had been ous ...
was called following the resignation of Willy Telavi in August. The voting occurred on 19 September 2014. The candidates were Satini Manuella and Hilia Vavae. Satini Manuella
Satini Tulaga Manuella is a Tuvaluan politician.
With a background in finance and education, he is, as of 2014, president of the Tuvalu National Private Sector Organisation. was the successful candidate. The former USP senior accountant and president of the Tuvalu National Private Sector Organization (TNPSO) joined the government benches, supporting prime minister Sopoaga.
Eleventh Parliament (2015-2019)
Apisai Ielemia was elected to represent Vaitupu in the 2015 general election. On 5 October 2016 Chief Justice Sweeney of the High Court of Tuvalu declared that Ielemia's parliamentary seat was vacant as he was not qualified to be a member of Parliament. This was due to the short time the opposition MP had served time in jail following his conviction on 6 May 2016 in the Magistrate's Court on charges of abuse of office during the final year of his term as Prime Minister (August 2006 to September 2010). The by-election was won by pro-government candidate Isaia Vaipuna Taape. Taape was sworn in as a member of parliament for Vaitupu on Wednesday 16 August 2017.
Twelfth Parliament (2019 - )
References
{{reflist, 30em
by
Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...
By-elections