# Electoral history of Geoffrey Palmer

This is a summary of the electoral history of Geoffrey Palmer, Prime Minister of New Zealand (1989–90), Leader of the Labour Party (1989–90), Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central (1979–90).

## Parliamentary elections
### 1979 by-election

1979 Christchurch Central by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Palmer | 6,149 | 64.20 | +3.03 |
| | Social Credit | Terry Heffernan | 1,759 | 18.37 | +9.02 |
| | National | David Duncan | 1,634 | 17.06 | −8.55 |
| | Tory | Suzanne Sadler | 26 | 0.27 | |
| | Economic Euthenics | Tubby Hansen | 10 | 0.10 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,390 | 45.83 | +10.27 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,578 | 36.00 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 26,605 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +11.58 | |

### 1981 election

General election, 1981: Christchurch Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Palmer | 10,793 | 63.25 | −0.95 |
| | National | Ian Wilson | 3,765 | 22.06 | |
| | Social Credit | Peter Admore | 2,426 | 14.21 | |
| | Independent | Warwick Iversen | 78 | 0.45 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,028 | 41.19 | −4.64 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,062 | 85.10 | +49.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 20,048 | | |

### 1984 election

General election, 1984: Christchurch Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Palmer | 13,394 | 63.36 | +0.11 |
| | National | Tony Willy | 4,886 | 23.11 | |
| | NZ Party | Murray Ludemann | 2,072 | 9.80 | |
| | Social Credit | Joe Pounsford | 662 | 3.13 | |
| | Independent | Suzanne Sadler | 123 | 0.58 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,508 | 40.25 | −0.94 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,137 | 89.56 | +4.46 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 23,599 | | |

### 1987 election

General election, 1987: Christchurch Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Palmer | 11,836 | 65.28 | +1.92 |
| | National | Graham Burnett | 5,031 | 27.75 | |
| | Democrats | Joe Pounsford | 557 | 3.07 | +0.06 |
| | Breakfast Party | James Daniels | 235 | 1.29 | |
| | Socialist Action | Felicity Brereton | 196 | 1.08 | |
| | Wizard Party | David Hanlon | 119 | 0.65 | |
| | Values | Stephen Symons | 85 | 0.46 | |
| | NZ Party | Lynn Yeoman | 70 | 0.38 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,805 | 37.53 | −2.72 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,129 | 82.24 | −7.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 22,043 | | |

## Leadership elections
### 1983 Deputy-leadership election
#### First ballot

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Mike Moore | 19 | 44.18 |
| | Geoffrey Palmer | 15 | 34.88 |
| | Ann Hercus | 9 | 20.93 |
| Majority | Majority | 4 | 9.30 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 43 | — |

#### Second ballot

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Geoffrey Palmer | 22 | 51.17 |
| | Mike Moore | 21 | 48.83 |
| Majority | Majority | 1 | 2.32 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 43 | — |

### 1989 Leadership election

| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Geoffrey Palmer | 41 | 75.92 |
| | Mike Moore | 13 | 24.08 |
| Majority | Majority | 28 | 51.85 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 54 | — |