# Otago Central

Otago Central or Central Otago was a parliamentary electorate in the Otago region of New Zealand, from 1911 to 1919 as Otago Central; from 1928 to 1957 as Central Otago; and from 1957 to 1978 as Otago Central. It was replaced by the Otago electorate. The electorate was represented by six Members of Parliament.

## Population centres

In the 1911 electoral redistribution, the North Island gained a further seat from the South Island due to faster population growth. In addition, there were substantial population movements within each island, and significant changes resulted from this. Only four electorates were unaltered, five electorates were abolished, one former electorate was re-established, and four electorates, including Otago Central, were created for the first time. The Otago Central electorate mostly covered areas that previously belonged to the Tuapeka and Taieri electorates, which were both abolished through the 1911 electoral redistribution. Settlements that fell within the original Otago Central electorate included Roxburgh, Alexandra, and Ranfurly.
In the 1918 electoral redistribution, the Otago Central electorate was abolished. Most of its area went to an enlarged Wakatipu electorate, but smaller areas went to the Clutha, Bruce, and Waitaki electorates.
In the 1927 electoral redistribution, the North Island gained a further electorate from the South Island due to faster population growth. Five electorates were abolished, two former electorates, including Central Otago, were re-established, and three electorates were created for the first time.

## History

The first representative of the Otago Central electorate was Robert Scott, who was the incumbent from the Tuapeka electorate.

### Members of Parliament

The Otago Central electorate was represented by six Members of Parliament:
Key
Reform  United  National  Labour
| Election | Winner |
| 1911 election | Robert Scott |
| 1914 election | Robert Scott |
| Abolished 1919, re-established as Central Otago 1928 |||
| 1928 election | William Bodkin |
| 1931 election | William Bodkin |
| 1935 election | William Bodkin |
| 1938 election | William Bodkin |
| 1943 election | William Bodkin |
| 1946 election | William Bodkin |
| 1949 election | William Bodkin |
| 1951 election | William Bodkin |
| 1954 election | Jack George |
| Renamed as Otago Central 1957 |||
| 1957 election | Jack George |
| 1960 election | Jack George |
| 1963 election | Jack George |
| 1966 election | Jack George |
| 1969 election | Murray Rose |
| 1972 election | Ian Quigley |
| 1975 election | Warren Cooper |
| (Electorate abolished in 1978; see Otago) |||

## Election results
### 1975 election

1975 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Warren Cooper | 10,354 | 52.32 | |
| | Labour | Ian Quigley | 7,983 | 40.34 | −10.74 |
| | Social Credit | R S Moodie | 910 | 4.59 | |
| | Values | John Perkins | 542 | 2.73 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,371 | 11.98 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 19,789 | 87.67 | −4.73 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,572 | | |

### 1972 election

1972 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Quigley | 8,544 | 51.08 | |
| | National | Murray Rose | 7,061 | 42.22 | −0.61 |
| | Social Credit | J Woodhall | 721 | 4.31 | |
| | Values | Arthur Klap | 258 | 1.54 | |
| | New Democratic | Patrick McMullan | 140 | 0.83 | −14.67 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,483 | 8.86 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,724 | 92.40 | +3.76 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,099 | | |

### 1969 election

1969 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Murray Rose | 6,345 | 42.83 | |
| | Labour | Brian Griffiths | 5,259 | 35.50 | +2.45 |
| | Social Credit | Patrick McMullan | 2,297 | 15.50 | |
| | Country Party | John Perkins | 793 | 5.35 | |
| | Independent Labour | Jamie Wedderspoon | 118 | 0.79 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,086 | 7.33 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,812 | 88.64 | +1.25 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,709 | | |

### 1966 election

1966 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack George | 7,060 | 49.07 | −10.41 |
| | Labour | Brian Griffiths | 4,755 | 33.05 | |
| | Social Credit | George Irvin Jones | 2,571 | 17.87 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,305 | 16.02 | −2.95 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,386 | 87.39 | +0.03 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,460 | | |

### 1963 election

1963 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack George | 8,388 | 59.48 | −3.25 |
| | Labour | Stan Rodger | 5,713 | 40.51 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,675 | 18.97 | −18.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,101 | 87.36 | −3.51 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,141 | | |

### 1960 election

1960 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack George | 7,320 | 62.73 | +5.79 |
| | Labour | Brian MacDonell | 2,976 | 25.50 | |
| | Social Credit | George Irvin Jones | 1,372 | 11.75 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,344 | 37.23 | +15.17 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,668 | 90.87 | −2.81 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,840 | | |

### 1957 election

1957 general election: Otago Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack George | 7,196 | 56.94 | +8.91 |
| | Labour | J H Rapson | 4,408 | 34.88 | |
| | Social Credit | J D F Sloan | 1,033 | 8.17 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,788 | 22.06 | +7.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,637 | 93.68 | +4.33 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,489 | | |

### 1954 election

1954 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack George | 6,895 | 48.03 | |
| | Labour | Peter John Scott | 4,821 | 33.58 | |
| | Social Credit | A G Newland | 2,638 | 18.37 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,074 | 14.44 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,354 | 89.35 | +1.74 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,064 | | |

### 1951 election

1951 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | William Bodkin | 8,429 | 63.67 | −1.34 |
| | Labour | Thomas Augustus Rodgers | 4,809 | 36.33 | +1.34 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,620 | 27.34 | −2.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,238 | 87.61 | −3.37 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,109 | | |

### 1949 election

1949 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | William Bodkin | 8,457 | 65.01 | +3.69 |
| | Labour | Thomas Augustus Rodgers | 4,551 | 34.99 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,906 | 30.02 | +7.37 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,008 | 90.98 | −1.42 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,297 | | |

### 1946 election

1949 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | National | William Bodkin | 7,874 | 61.32 |
| | Labour | Claude Charles Capell | 4,965 | 38.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,909 | 22.65 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,839 | 92.40 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,894 | |

### 1943 election

There were three candidates in 1943, with the election won by William Bodkin over James McIndoe Mackay.

### 1931 election

1931 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | William Bodkin | 5,156 | 66.14 |
| | Independent | Charles Todd | 2,640 | 33.86 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 147 | 1.85 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,516 | 32.27 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,943 | 82.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,675 | |

### 1928 election

1928 general election: Central Otago :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | William Bodkin | 4,684 | 53.75 |
| | Reform | James Ritchie | 4,031 | 46.25 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 58 | 0.66 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 653 | 7.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,773 | 89.34 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,820 | |