# Franklin (New Zealand electorate)

Franklin was a rural New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1861 to 1996 during four periods.

## Population centres

The original electorate from 1861 to 1881 included the South Auckland towns of Papatoetoe, Papakura, Pukekohe and Waiuku, and west of Waiuku to the West Coast. When reconstituted in 1890 the northern boundary was north of Papakura, and (with the growth of Auckland) now excluded Papatoetoe.
In December 1887, the House of Representatives voted to reduce its membership from general electorates from 91 to 70. The 1890 electoral redistribution used the same 1886 census data used for the 1887 electoral redistribution. In addition, three-member electorates were introduced in the four main centres. This resulted in a major restructuring of electorates, and Franklin was one of eight electorates to be re-created for the 1890 election.
The 1981 census had shown that the North Island had experienced further population growth, and three additional general seats were created through the 1983 electoral redistribution, bringing the total number of electorates to 95. The South Island had, for the first time, experienced a population loss, but its number of general electorates was fixed at 25 since the 1967 electoral redistribution. More of the South Island population was moving to Christchurch, and two electorates were abolished, while two electorates were recreated. In the North Island, six electorates were newly created, three electorates were recreated (including Franklin), and six electorates were abolished.
The 1987 electoral redistribution took the continued population growth in the North Island into account, and two additional general electorates were created, bringing the total number of electorates to 97. In the South Island, the shift of population to Christchurch had continued. Overall, three electorates were newly created, three electorates were recreated, and four electorates were abolished (including Franklin). All of those electorates were in the North Island. Changes in the South Island were restricted to boundary changes. These changes came into effect with the 1987 election.

## History

The electorate existed from 1861 to 1881 as a two-member electorate, when it was split into the Franklin North and Franklin South electorates. One of the first MPs, Marmaduke Nixon was killed in action in 1864 whilst leading an assault on a Māori village during the Invasion of the Waikato, forcing the 1864 by-election. In 1890 it was reconstituted, to 1978 and then from 1984 to 1987, and 1993–96. From 1978 to 1984 it was renamed the Rangiriri electorate, and from 1987 to 1993 it was renamed the Maramarua electorate but in 1993 it reverted to "Franklin". In 1996 with MMP, the area became part of the Port Waikato electorate.
The single-member electorate was first represented by Ebenezer Hamlin from 1890 to 1893 when he retired. Benjamin Harris defeated the future Prime Minister William Massey in 1893, but the 1896 contest had the opposite outcome. From 1896 to 1925 Franklin was represented by the Reform Party's Massey, known as Farmer Bill, the Prime Minister from 1912 to 1925. Ewen McLennan then held the electorate for one term before he retired, and was replaced by Massey's son Jack Massey.
In 1935 Franklin was won by Arthur Sexton of the Country Party, largely due to growing discontent amongst rural voters that the Reform Party was valuing city businessmen over rural farmers. The party's support of monetary reform also resonated with rural farmers who had been seeing low prices for produce during the Great Depression. The seat in 1938 to Jack Massey, now standing for the National Party. He held the seat until 1957, when he was deselected by the National Party in favour of Alfred E. Allen. Alf Allen held the seat until 1972, when he retired and was replaced by future National minister Bill Birch, who held the seat over the remaining three periods that the seat existed.

### Members of Parliament
#### Multi-member electorate

Key
Independent Conservative Liberal Reform Country Party National
| Election | Winners | Winners |
| 1861 election | Robert Graham | Marmaduke Nixon |
| 1864 by-election | Robert Graham | Theodore Haultain |
| 1866 election | Robert Graham | Theodore Haultain |
| 1868 by-election | William Turnbull Swan | Theodore Haultain |
| 1871 election | William Buckland | Archibald Clark |
| 1874 by-election | William Buckland | Joseph May |
| 1876 election | Hugh Lusk | Ebenezer Hamlin |
| 1878 by-election | Richard Hobbs | Ebenezer Hamlin |
| 1879 election | Benjamin Harris | Ebenezer Hamlin |
| (Electorate abolished 1881–1890, see Franklin North and Franklin South) |||||

#### Single-member electorate

| Election | Winner |
| 1890 election | Ebenezer Hamlin |
| 1893 election | Benjamin Harris |
| 1896 election | William Massey |
| 1899 election | William Massey |
| 1902 election | William Massey |
| 1905 election | William Massey |
| 1908 election | William Massey |
| 1911 election | William Massey |
| 1914 election | William Massey |
| 1919 election | William Massey |
| 1922 election | William Massey |
| 1925 by-election | Ewen McLennan |
| 1925 election | Ewen McLennan |
| 1928 election | Jack Massey |
| 1931 election | Jack Massey |
| 1935 election | Arthur Sexton |
| 1938 election | Jack Massey |
| 1943 election | Jack Massey |
| 1946 election | Jack Massey |
| 1949 election | Jack Massey |
| 1951 election | Jack Massey |
| 1954 election | Jack Massey |
| 1957 election | Alfred E. Allen |
| 1960 election | Alfred E. Allen |
| 1963 election | Alfred E. Allen |
| 1966 election | Alfred E. Allen |
| 1969 election | Alfred E. Allen |
| 1972 election | Bill Birch |
| 1975 election | Bill Birch |
| (Electorate abolished 1978–1984, see Rangiriri) |||
| 1984 election | Bill Birch |
| (Electorate abolished 1987–1993, see Maramarua) |||
| 1993 election | Bill Birch |
| (Electorate abolished in 1996; see Port Waikato) |||

## Election results
### 1993 election

1993 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | National | Bill Birch | 7,723 | 43.01 |
| | Alliance | Judy Bischoff | 4,180 | 23.28 |
| | Labour | Shane Te Pou | 2,776 | 15.46 |
| | NZ First | Patra de Coudray | 2,567 | 14.29 |
| | Christian Heritage | Roelof Voschezang | 321 | 1.78 |
| | McGillicuddy Serious | Dominic Charles Worthington | 192 | 1.06 |
| | Independent | Ian Wilson | 132 | 0.73 |
| | Natural Law | Jan Flynn | 62 | 0.34 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,543 | 19.73 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,953 | 80.17 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,392 | |

### 1984 election

1984 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | National | Bill Birch | 10,501 | 51.46 |
| | Labour | Roy Haywood | 5,291 | 25.93 |
| | NZ Party | Noel McGuire | 2,880 | 14.11 |
| | Social Credit | Alan Scott | 1,600 | 7.84 |
| | Values | M Haines | 131 | 0.64 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,210 | 25.53 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,403 | 89.87 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,701 | |

### 1975 election

1975 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Bill Birch | 10,844 | 64.89 | +6.97 |
| | Labour | Ron Ng-Waishing | 3,239 | 19.38 | |
| | Social Credit | Geoff Morell | 1,657 | 9.91 | −0.36 |
| | Values | Jock Hutton | 950 | 5.68 | |
| | Socialist Unity | Grahame Roberts | 21 | 0.12 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,605 | 45.50 | +16.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,711 | 81.13 | −6.60 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,597 | | |

### 1972 election

1972 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Bill Birch | 8,300 | 57.92 | |
| | Labour | Geoff Braybrooke | 4,112 | 28.69 | |
| | Social Credit | Geoff Morell | 1,472 | 10.27 | |
| | Liberal Reform | Thomas Edward Keven | 361 | 2.51 | |
| | New Democratic | M H Lawson | 84 | 0.58 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,188 | 29.22 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,329 | 87.73 | +1.88 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,333 | | |

### 1969 election

1969 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 8,900 | 62.76 | +5.97 |
| | Labour | Tai Tuhimata | 3,405 | 24.01 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,875 | 13.22 | −1.52 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,495 | 38.75 | −0.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,180 | 85.85 | −0.70 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,516 | | |

### 1966 election

1966 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 7,343 | 56.79 | −9.15 |
| | Labour | Ron Ng-Waishing | 2,260 | 17.48 | −4.08 |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,907 | 14.74 | +2.25 |
| | Democratic | Malcolm John Muir | 1,419 | 10.97 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,083 | 39.31 | −5.07 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,929 | 86.55 | −0.75 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,938 | | |

### 1963 election

1963 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 8,690 | 65.94 | +2.60 |
| | Labour | Ron Ng-Waishing | 2,841 | 21.56 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,646 | 12.49 | +4.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,849 | 44.38 | +9.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,177 | 87.30 | −1.90 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,093 | | |

### 1960 election

1960 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 9,442 | 63.34 | +3.28 |
| | Labour | Howard Preston | 4,245 | 28.47 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,219 | 8.17 | −1.59 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,197 | 34.86 | +4.98 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,906 | 89.20 | −1.86 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,710 | | |

### 1957 election

1957 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Alfred E. Allen | 8,522 | 60.06 | |
| | Labour | Christopher Mountford | 4,281 | 30.17 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,386 | 9.76 | −2.49 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,241 | 29.88 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,189 | 91.06 | +3.49 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,581 | | |

### 1954 election

1954 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 7,299 | 63.97 | −5.13 |
| | Labour | Percival Peacock | 2,712 | 23.77 | |
| | Social Credit | Thomas Allan Wheeler | 1,398 | 12.25 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,587 | 40.20 | +2.00 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,409 | 87.57 | −0.55 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,027 | | |

### 1951 election

1951 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 9,691 | 69.10 | −0.77 |
| | Labour | Arthur Faulkner | 4,333 | 30.89 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,358 | 38.20 | −1.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,024 | 88.12 | −4.33 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,914 | | |

### 1949 election

1949 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 9,635 | 69.87 | +4.48 |
| | Labour | John Parsons | 4,154 | 30.12 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,481 | 39.74 | +8.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,789 | 92.45 | −1.57 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,915 | | |

### 1946 election

1946 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 8,545 | 65.39 | +4.42 |
| | Labour | Alex Gunn | 4,522 | 34.60 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,023 | 30.78 | +0.31 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,067 | 94.02 | +3.51 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,898 | | |

### 1943 election

1943 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 6,572 | 60.97 | +8.64 |
| | Labour | Aaron Best | 3,287 | 30.49 | |
| | Democratic Labour | Daniel Patrick Lloyd | 598 | 5.54 | |
| | Real Democracy | Ernest Moss | 235 | 2.18 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 86 | 0.79 | −0.44 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,285 | 30.47 | +11.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,778 | 90.51 | −4.19 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,907 | | |

### 1938 election

1938 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Jack Massey | 5,542 | 52.33 | +8.27 |
| | Labour | Ernest Piggott | 3,485 | 32.91 | |
| | Country Party | Arthur Sexton | 1,564 | 14.77 | −36.62 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,057 | 19.42 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 37 | 0.35 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,628 | 94.70 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,223 | | |

### 1935 election

1935 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Country Party | Arthur Sexton | 4,803 | 51.39 | |
| | Reform | Jack Massey | 4,118 | 44.06 | −12.77 |
| | Democrat | B C Fyers | 368 | 3.93 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 685 | 7.32 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 57 | 0.60 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,346 | | +13.49 |

### 1931 election

1931 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Jack Massey | 4,968 | 64.16 |
| | Country Party | Harry Mellsop | 2,511 | 32.43 |
| | Independent | John Humphries Edwards | 264 | 3.41 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,457 | 31.73 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 55 | 0.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,798 | 82.56 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,445 | |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ Edwards was chosen by the local committee of the Labour Party, but was not endorsed by the national executive

### 1928 election

1928 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Jack Massey | 4,025 | 50.85 |
| | Country Party | Harry Mellsop | 3,891 | 49.15 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 134 | 1.69 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 51 | 0.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,967 | 86.86 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,172 | |

### 1925 by-election

1925 Franklin by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Ewen McLennan | 6,056 | 72.96 |
| | Labour | John Sommerville Montgomerie | 2,245 | 27.04 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 43 | 0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,811 | 45.91 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,344 | |
| | Reform hold | Reform hold | Swing | |

### 1922 election

1922 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | William Massey | 5,276 | 66.70 | −1.72 |
| | Liberal | Joseph Rea | 2,526 | 31.94 | +12.92 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 108 | 1.36 | +0.82 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,750 | 34.76 | −14.66 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,910 | 88.73 | −3.40 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,914 | | |

### 1919 election

1919 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | William Massey | 4,195 | 68.42 | −3.40 |
| | Liberal | Joseph Rea | 1,165 | 19.02 | |
| | Labour | Ernest Piggott | 637 | 10.38 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 134 | 2.18 | +1.17 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,030 | 49.42 | +5.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,131 | 85.33 | +0.99 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,185 | | |

### 1914 election

1914 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | William Massey | 4,818 | 71.82 | +4.83 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Glass | 1,890 | 28.17 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 68 | 1.01 | +0.30 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,928 | 43.64 | −8.85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,708 | 84.34 | +3.87 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,953 | | |

### 1911 election

1911 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | William Massey | 3,779 | 66.99 | −4.37 |
| | Liberal | John McLarin | 1,816 | 32.20 | −3.69 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 46 | 0.81 | −0.67 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,963 | 34.79 | +8.07 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,641 | 80.47 | +2.04 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,010 | | |

### 1908 election

1908 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 2,781 | 62.62 | +5.04 |
| | Liberal | John McLarin | 1,594 | 35.89 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 66 | 1.48 | −0.97 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,187 | 26.72 | −9.10 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,441 | 78.43 | −7.48 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,662 | | |

### 1905 election

1905 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 3,120 | 57.58 | −9.29 |
| | Liberal | William Wilson McCardle | 2,165 | 39.95 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 133 | 2.45 | +1.96 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 955 | 17.62 | −16.61 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,418 | 85.91 | +15.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,306 | | |

### 1902 election

1902 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 2,297 | 66.87 | +1.08 |
| | Liberal | Alfred Richard Harris | 1,121 | 32.63 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 17 | 0.49 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,176 | 34.23 | +2.65 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,435 | 70.81 | −7.09 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,851 | | |

### 1899 election

1899 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 2,458 | 65.79 | −10.03 |
| | Liberal | W Findlay Wilson | 1,278 | 34.21 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,180 | 31.58 | −19.48 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,736 | 77.90 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,796 | | |

### 1896 election

1896 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 2,184 | 55.76 | +7.12 |
| | Liberal | Benjamin Harris | 1,710 | 43.66 | −7.70 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 23 | 0.58 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 474 | 12.10 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,917 | | |

### 1893 election

1893 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Benjamin Harris | 1,684 | 51.36 | +3.21 |
| | Conservative | William Massey | 1,595 | 48.64 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 89 | 2.71 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,279 | 79.55 | +18.16 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,122 | | |

### 1890 election

1890 general election: Franklin :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Ebenezer Hamlin | 732 | 51.84 |
| | Independent Liberal | Benjamin Harris | 680 | 48.15 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 52 | 3.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,412 | 61.39 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,300 | |

### 1874 by-election

1874 Franklin by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Joseph May | 180 | 38.14 |
| | Independent | William Goodfellow | 156 | 33.05 |
| | Independent | Frank Henry Troup | 121 | 25.64 |
| | Independent | William Woodward | 9 | 1.91 |
| | Independent | Joseph Dargaville | 6 | 1.27 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 472 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 5.08 |

### 1868 by-election

1868 Franklin by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William Turnbull Swan | 619 | 53.04 |
| | Independent | William Thorne Buckland | 548 | 46.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1167 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 6.08 |