All New Zealand elections

1984 New Zealand General Election

The snap election

14 July 1984 · The two-party era · 95 seats, 48 for a majority

The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the composition of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating the long-serving Prime Minister, Robert Muldoon, of the National Party.

Prime Minister before

Robert Muldoon

National

Prime Minister after

David Lange

Labour

Largest force

Labour

56 of 95 seats

Turnout

93.7%

The result

Share of the House of Representatives
LabourDavid Lange56+13
829,15443.0%+4.0
NationalSir Robert Muldoon37-10
692,49435.9%-2.9
Social CreditBruce Beetham20
147,1627.6%-13.0
NZ PartyBob Jones00
236,38512.3%+12.3