# Electoral history of David Lange

* This article is part of a series aboutDavid Lange
Early life and career
Member for Mangere
Mangere by-election, 1977
Electoral history
Leader of the Labour Party
Fish and Chip Brigade
Shadow Cabinet of David Lange
1983 leadership election
1988 leadership election
Prime Minister of New Zealand
1984 constitutional crisis
New Zealand nuclear-free zone
Rogernomics
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986
Tomorrow's Schools
Lange v Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Lange v Atkinson
Elections
1984 general election
1987 general election :
vte :
This is a summary of the electoral history of David Lange, Prime Minister of New Zealand (1984–89), Leader of the Labour Party (1983–89), Member of Parliament for Mangere (1977–96).

## Parliamentary elections
### 1975 election

General election, 1975: Hobson :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Neill Austin | 9,559 | 51.68 | |
| | Social Credit | Howard Manning | 5,458 | 29.51 | +0.55 |
| | Labour | David Lange | 2,703 | 14.61 | |
| | Values | Richard Alspach | 774 | 4.18 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,101 | 22.17 | +14.93 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,494 | 84.19 | +4.22 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,965 | | |

### 1977 by-election

1977 Mangere by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 9,766 | 58.27 | |
| | National | Clem Simich | 5,107 | 30.48 | |
| | Social Credit | Bill Owens | 1,026 | 6.10 | −0.07 |
| | Values | Frank Grayson | 789 | 4.71 | −1.02 |
| | Worker's Labour | Barry Moss | 28 | 0.17 | |
| | Alpha | Paul Magoffin | 18 | 0.11 | |
| | Independent Labour | Barry Shaw | 17 | 0.10 | |
| | Socialist Action | Brigid Mulrennan | 7 | 0.04 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,659 | 27.80 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,758 | 64.31 | −15.35 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,058 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### 1978 election

1978 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 9,104 | 66.23 | +7.96 |
| | National | Peter Saunders | 2,841 | 20.67 | |
| | Social Credit | H J Meiklejohn | 1,655 | 12.04 | |
| | Values | V A Strachan | 144 | 1.04 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,263 | 45.56 | +17.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,744 | 63.92 | −0.39 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 21,499 | | |

### 1981 election

1981 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 8,739 | 62.25 | −3.98 |
| | Social Credit | John Petit | 2,933 | 20.89 | |
| | National | David Perry | 2,366 | 16.85 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,806 | 41.35 | −4.21 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,038 | 82.57 | +18.65 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,001 | | |

### 1984 election

1984 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 10,676 | 72.83 | +10.58 |
| | National | Peter Saunders | 2,301 | 15.69 | |
| | NZ Party | John Meyer | 1,096 | 7.47 | |
| | Social Credit | Terry John Brooks | 584 | 3.98 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,375 | 57.13 | +15.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,657 | 86.21 | +3.64 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,001 | | |

### 1987 election

1987 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 8,804 | 70.60 | −2.23 |
| | National | Ron Jeffery | 2,785 | 22.33 | |
| | Democrats | Ken Harris | 724 | 5.80 | |
| | Mana Motuhake (political party) | K K Pene | 156 | 1.25 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,019 | 48.27 | −8.86 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,469 | 81.35 | −4.86 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,326 | | |

### 1990 election

1990 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 7,184 | 51.10 | −19.50 |
| | National | Bryan Archer | 3,145 | 22.37 | |
| | NewLabour | Len Richards | 1,658 | 11.79 | |
| | Green | Brian Edwards | 832 | 5.91 | |
| | Democrats | Ken Harris | 148 | 1.05 | |
| | Independent | Joshua Deane | 55 | 0.39 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,039 | 28.73 | −19.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,058 | 79.73 | −1.62 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,631 | | |

### 1993 election

1993 general election: Mangere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Lange | 8,345 | 55.12 | +4.02 |
| | Alliance | Len Richards | 2,387 | 15.76 | +3.97 |
| | NZ First | Bryan Archer | 2,037 | 13.45 | −8.92 |
| | National | Hinu Te Hau | 1,120 | 7.39 | |
| | Christian Heritage | Clark Nemeth | 135 | 0.89 | |
| | Communist League | Karen Davis | 84 | 0.55 | |
| | McGillicuddy Serious | Alister Webb | 77 | 0.50 | |
| | Natural Law | Grant Bilyard | 53 | 0.35 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,958 | 39.36 | +10.63 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,137 | 83.00 | −3.27 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,237 | | |

## Leadership elections
### 1979 Deputy-leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | David Lange | 20 | 52.64 |
| | Bob Tizard | 18 | 47.36 |
| Majority | Majority | 2 | 5.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 38 | — |

### 1980 Leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Bill Rowling | 19 | 51.40 |
| | David Lange | 18 | 48.60 |
| Majority | Majority | 1 | 2.70 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 37 | — |

### 1981 Deputy-leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | David Lange | 42 | 97.72 |
| | No confidence | 1 | 2.28 |
| Majority | Majority | 41 | 93.18 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 43 | — |

### 1983 Leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | David Lange | 33 | 78.57 |
| | Russell Marshall | 9 | 21.43 |
| Majority | Majority | 24 | 57.14 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 42 | — |

### 1988 Leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | David Lange | 38 | 71.70 |
| | Roger Douglas | 15 | 28.30 |
| Majority | Majority | 23 | 43.30 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 53 | — |