This article is part of
a series about
John Key

Leader of the National Party

Leader of the Opposition

Prime Minister

General elections

This is a summary of the electoral history of John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand (2008–2016), Leader of the National Party (2006–2016), and Member of Parliament for Helensville (2002–2017).

History

Key had first decided to stand for National at the 2002 election in late 2001. He was then working at Merrill Lynch, an investment bank. Key decided to not stand on the list. One of the seats he considered standing in was Tamaki, but National officials convinced him not to stand, as Clem Simich—the Member of Parliament for Tamaki—had a good base in the electorate. Beverley Revell—a registered nurse—was Key's campaign manager. Key eventually chose Helensville to contest, against the unfavourably rated Brian Neeson. Many in National feared that Labour would take over the seat, and Key won the nomination 32–28. He also won the electorate at the 2002 election.[1]

The 2005 election showed close results heading in with Don Brash as its leader, with Labour winning 48-50 seatwise, while also having large political party support. Brash later revealed in his autobiography that he never intended to spend a full term as prime minister, and would give the position over to Key. Key later deposed Brash from leader position after the 2005 election, in 2006.[2][3][4]

Parliamentary elections

2002 election

General election, 2002: Helensville[5]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National John Key 9,775 34.18 7,524 25.81
Labour Gary Russell 8,070 28.21 8,988 30.83
Independent Brian Neeson 5,644 19.73
NZ First Dail Jones 2,725 9.53 3,481 11.94
United Future New Zealand Andrea Deeth 1,184 4.14 2,416 8.29
Alliance Helen MacKinlay 581 2.03 299 1.03
Christian Heritage David Simpkin 350 1.22 288 0.99
Progressive Clare Dickson 273 0.95 272 0.93
ACT   3,676 12.61
Green   1,755 6.02
ORNZ   313 1.07
Legalise Cannabis   118 0.40
One NZ   15 0.05
Mana Māori   10 0.03
NMP   2 0.01
Informal votes 327 78
Total valid votes 28,602 29,157
Turnout 29,428 79.64
National win new seat Majority 1,705 5.96

2005 election

General election, 2005: Helensville[6][7][8]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National Green tickY John Key 22,008 64.10 +29.92 19,224 55.09 +29.28
Labour Judy Lawley 9,230 26.88 -0.24 9,761 27.97 -2.86
NZ First Dail Jones 1,400 4.08 -5.45 2,051 5.88 -6.06
United Future New Zealand Andrea Deeth 573 1.67 -2.47 863 2.47 -5.82
ACT Stephen Langford-Tebby 389 1.13 821 2.35 -10.26
Māori Party Awa Hudson 359 1.05 142 0.41
Progressive Julian Aaron 318 0.93 -0.02 218 0.81 -0.08
Green Helen Koster 58 0.17 1,407 4.03 -1.99
Destiny   151 0.43
Legalise Cannabis   66 0.19 -0.21
Christian Heritage   48 0.14 -0.85
Libertarianz   16 0.05
Direct Democracy   11 0.03
Alliance   9 0.03 -1.00
Democrats   8 0.02
Family Rights   8 0.02
99 MP   5 0.01
RONZ   5 0.01
One NZ   4 0.01 -0.04
Informal votes 253 110
Total valid votes 34,335 34,896
Turnout 35,222 82.85 +3.21
National hold Majority 12,778 37.22 +31.26

2008 election

General election, 2008: Helensville[9][6]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National Green tickY John Key 26,771 73.61 +9.51 23,559 63.69 +8.60
Labour Darien Fenton 6,224 17.11 -9.77 6,826 18.45 -9.52
Green David Clendon 2,166 5.96 +5.79 1,814 4.90 +0.87
ACT David Garrett 811 2.23 +1.10 2,481 6.71 +4.36
United Future New Zealand Angela Lovelock 309 0.85 -0.82 289 0.78 -1.69
Libertarianz Peter Osborne 89 0.24 21 0.06 +0.01
NZ First   940 2.54 -3.34
Progressive   195 0.53 -0.28
Family Party   182 0.49
Māori Party   182 0.49 +0.08
Bill and Ben   170 0.46
Legalise Cannabis   131 0.35 +0.16
Kiwi   105 0.28
Pacific   45 0.12
Alliance   19 0.05 +0.02
Workers Party   9 0.02
Democrats   8 0.02 ±0.00
RAM   8 0.02
RONZ   4 0.01 ±0.00
Informal votes 251 110
Total valid votes 36,370 36,988
Turnout 37,298 82.27 -0.58
National hold Majority 20,547 56.49

2011 election

General election, 2011: Helensville [10]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National Green tickY John Key 26,011 74.38 +0.77 23,558 65.79 +2.09
Labour Jeremy Greenbrook-Held 4,945 14.14 -2.97 5,138 14.35 -4.11
Green Jeanette Elley 2,575 7.36 +1.41 3,094 8.64 +3.74
Conservative Party of New Zealand Richard Drayson 941 2.69 +2.69 1,258 3.51 +3.51
Legalise Cannabis Adrian McDermott 319 0.91 +0.91 174 0.49 +0.16
ACT Nick Kearney 180 0.51 0-1.72 499 1.39 -5.31
NZ First   1,648 4.60 +2.06
Māori Party   186 0.52 +0.03
United Future New Zealand   163 0.46 -0.33
Mana   60 0.17 +0.17
Libertarianz   19 0.05 -0.004
Democrats   8 0.02 +0.001
Alliance   4 0.01 -0.04
Informal votes 574 198
Total valid votes 34,971 35,809
National hold Majority 21,066 60.24 +3.74

2014 election

General election, 2014: Helensville[11]
Notes:

Blue background denotes the winner of the electorate vote.
Pink background denotes a candidate elected from their party list.
Yellow background denotes an electorate win by a list member, or other incumbent.
A Green tickY or Red XN denotes status of any incumbent, win or lose respectively.

Party Candidate Votes % ±% Party votes % ±%
National Green tickY John Key 22,720 65.17 −9.21 20,689 58.39 −7.40
Green Kennedy Graham 4,433 12.72 +5.36 4,801 13.55 +4.91
Labour Corie Haddock 4,425 12.69 −1.45 4,430 12.50 −1.85
Internet Laila Harré 1,315 3.77 +3.77
Conservative Party of New Zealand Deborah Dougherty 963 2.76 −0.07 1,692 4.78 +1.27
Independent Penny Bright 420 1.20 +1.20
ACT Phelan Pirrie 302 0.87 +0.36 262 0.74 −0.65
Independent Brendan Whyte 74 0.21 +0.21
NZ First   2,608 7.36 +2.76
Internet Mana   338 0.95 +0.78[a]
Māori Party   192 0.54 +0.02
Legalise Cannabis   161 0.45 −0.04
United Future New Zealand   93 0.26 −0.20
Ban 1080   48 0.14 +0.14
Democrats   23 0.06 +0.04
Independent Coalition   13 0.04 +0.04
Civilian   8 0.02 +0.02
Focus   3 0.01 +0.01
Informal votes 208 73
Total valid votes 34,860 35,434
Turnout 35,507 82.29 +5.65
National hold Majority 18,287 52.46 −7.78

Notes

  1. ^ 2014 Internet Mana swing is relative to the votes for Mana in 2011; it shared a party list with Internet in the 2014 election.

References

  1. ^ Bingham, Eugene (26 July 2008). "Ambush in the West". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  2. ^ "John Key savaged by former National leader Don Brash for achieving 'almost nothing of significance'". stuff.co.nz. 6 December 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Official Count Results -- Overall Status". Electoral Commission (New Zealand). 1 October 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  4. ^ Tracy Watkins (10 April 2014). "Don Brash bares all". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Election results 2002". Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Helensville:Electoral Profile". New Zealand Parliament. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  7. ^ "Electorate Profile Helensville" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. 1 November 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
  8. ^ Election result 2005[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Election results 2008 Archived 11 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ Helensville results, 2011
  11. ^ Electoral Commission (10 October 2014). "Official Count Results – Helensville". Retrieved 31 January 2016.
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