Cook Islands: Parliament, 14 June 2018  

At stake in this election:

• 24 seats in the Parliament

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI
• Assembly: Cook Islands has a unicameral Parliament with 25 seats.

* The Queen is represented by Frederick GOODWIN; New Zealand High Commissioner Linda TE PUNI

Description of electoral system:

• The Queen is hereditary.
• Prime Minister is designated by the monarch.**
• In the Parliament 24 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

** The leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes prime minister.

*** Ten MPs are from the main island of Rarotonga and the rest are from the outer islands.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: Democratic Party (DP)
  • Leader: William HEATHER
  • Seats won in last election: 9
• Party: Cook Islands Party (CIP)
  • Leader: Henry PUNA
  • Seats won in last election: 13
• Party: One Cook Islands
  • Leader: Teina Bishop
  • Seats won in last election: 2
• Party: Titikaveka Oire
  • ​Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Party: Alternative Must Ravenga Openga
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Party: Independent Candidate
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last election: 0

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 17,459 (December 2016 Census)
• Registered Voters: 10,917 (June 2018)