Parliamentary elections were held in Iran on 20 June 1975. All 268 seats were won by the new monarchist party, the Rastakhiz Party. Voter turnout was 78.6%, although according to official reports, for both houses, out of an electorate of 14 million, 70 percent (9.8 million) registered to vote and 78 percent of the electorate (about 7 million) cast its vote.
This was the final election held under the rule of the Shah of Iran before the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
Campaign Around 750 candidates contested the elections, of which 80% were standing for the first time.1975 IPU All candidates had to adhere to three basic principles: "faith in Iran's constitution, loyalty to the monarchical regime, and fidelity to the 'white revolution'." Mainly the rules were to follow a set of non-exploitation laws.
However, the Rastakhiz Party, like others before it, lacked a popular base.Iran - Political parties Nations Encyclopedia Even though the candidates adhered to the philosophy of the rule by the monarchy, there were sometimes three or four candidates for the same seats as the party slated multiple.Janda, Kenneth (1980). Political Political Parties: A Cross-National Survey . The Free Press. pp. 861–862. However, Communists were banned from running for office.Abrahamian, Ervand (1989). Radical Islam: the Iranian Mojahedin. I.B.Tauris. p.25.
Electoral system Members of the Majlis were elected using the multiple non-transferable vote system. Tehran was allocated twenty-seven seats, Tabriz nine, Shiraz seven, Isfahan five and Ahwaz, Abadan, Babol, Rasht, Rezaieh, Karaj, and Kermanshah three. Of the remaining seats, twenty-five were allocated in two-member districts, and 139 in single-member districts.
Results Majlis PartyVotes%Seats+/–Rastakhiz Party100268NewInvalid/blank votes –––Total6,805,6511002680Source: Nohlen et al., IPU
Senate PartyVotes%Seats+/–Rastakhiz Party 10030NewAppointed seats–300Invalid/blank votes –––Total 600Source: IPU
References