List of Nauruan parliamentary by-elections

By-elections are held for the Parliament of Nauru to fill vacancies that occur between general elections.

Previously, Nauruan general elections and by-elections used different voting systems. Nauru uses the unique Dowdall system for general elections, but for by-elections it used a more conventional preferential system. Candidates had to receive an absolute majority of first preference votes. If none did, then the candidate with the fewest first preference votes was eliminated, and the next preference votes on their ballots were distributed to the remaining candidates. This cycle continued until one candidate had an absolute majority of votes.

A previous version of the Electoral Act in force in 2012, under the section entitled "Counting of votes in election", differentiates the methods of counting votes in a general election and by-election. The section entitled "Counting of votes in election" in the current Electoral Act applies the same vote counting method for every election in Nauru.

List of elections 1971 Ubenide election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 29 June 1971 to fill a vacancy in the Ubenide Constituency. The election was held on 14 August. The winner was determined after the four count of preferences.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes Derog Gioura 91 Elected Kennan Adeang 89 Bernard Dowiyogo 77 Mark Denis Kun 20 Paul Lawrence Maginkieo Ribauw 4 Invalid/blank votes1Total votes cast281

1972 Yaren election A writ was issued by the acting speaker of Parliament on 20 April 1972 to fill a vacancy in the Yaren Constituency. The election was held on 3 June. The winner was determined after the fifth count of preferences.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes Ludwig Keke 18 Alfred Derangdedage Biribirinang Dick 15 Elected Creswick Engame Agogenang 12 John Akubor 11 John Binono Willis 9 Sunshine Keke 6 Invalid/blank votes 2 Total votes cast71

1976 Yaren election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 20 July 1976 to fill a vacancy in the Yaren Constituency. The election was held on 28 August.

CandidateCountsNotes15 Leo Keke 27 66 Elected John Ebonoaiye Akubor 27 50 Pres Nimes Ekwona 25 - Alfred Derangdedage Dick 14 - John Binono Willis 13 - Patrick Jess Cain 7 - Udire Abaubo 3 - Total votes cast 116

February 1977 Aiwo election A by-election was triggered in the Aiwo Constituency when Speaker Edwin Tsitsi resigned as MP in December 1976. The election was held on 5 February 1977.

CandidateCountsNotes12 René Harris 80 94 Elected Samuel Edwin Tsitsi 50 79 Reginald Roderick Akiri 30 - Invalid/blank votes 0 Total votes cast 173

1977 Buada election MP Austin Bernicke died in January 1977. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 17 January 1977 to fill a vacancy in the Buada Constituency. The election was held on 5 March.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes Totouwa Depaune 80 Elected Alec Hindmarsh Stephen 56 Invalid/blank votes 0 Total votes cast136

1977 Anetan election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 11 February 1977 to fill a vacancy in the Anetan Constituency. The election was held on 19 March.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes Roy Degoregore 90 Elected Bucky Idarabwe 79 Rimone Tom 6 Invalid/blank votes 2 Total votes cast177

June 1977 Aiwo election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 7 March 1977 to fill a vacancy in the Aiwo Constituency. MP René Harris lost his seat due to being convicted by a court of assault. The election was initially scheduled for 16 April, but it was deferred by a court judgment. By 9 May, the election was rescheduled for 4 June. The election was held on 4 June. Harris was re-elected.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes René Harris 95 Elected Reginald Roderick Akiri 41 John Cole Darabwana Bill 12 August Detonga Deiye 10 Invalid/blank votes 1 Total votes cast159

1978 Ubenide election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 20 September 1978 to fill a vacancy in the Ubenide Constituency. The election was held on 21 October.

CandidateCountsNotes123 Derog Gioura 181 186 197 Elected Kennan Adeang 160 166 175 Victor Idarababwin Eoaeo 17 20 - Lui Victor Eoaeo 14 - - Invalid/blank votes 3 Total votes cast 372

1979 Aiwo election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 6 February 1979 to fill a vacancy in the Aiwo Constituency. The election was held on 10 March.

CandidateCountsNotes1234 David Agir 58 60 64 105 Elected Reginald Roderick Akiri 50 54 65 87 Theodore Conrad Moses 51 58 63 - Ririenang Allan Thoma 20 20 - - August Detonga Deiye 13 - - - Invalid/blank votes 1 Total votes cast 193

1981 Aiwo election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 10 June 1981 to fill a vacancy in the Aiwo Constituency. MP René Harris resigned and ran in the resulting by-election as a way to test whether the voters of his constituency supported him. The election was held on 18 July. Harris was re-elected.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes René Harris 111 Elected Samuel Edwin Tsitsi 48 August Detonga Deiye 28 Ateo Leslie Will Amram 10 Invalid/blank votes 1 Total votes cast198

1981 Anabar election Speaker David Peter Gadaraoa resigned from parliament in September 1981. A writ was issued by the new speaker of Parliament, Reuben Kun, on 18 September 1981 to fill a vacancy in the Anabar Constituency. The election was held on 24 October.

CandidateCountsNotes12 Maein Deireragea 53 64 Elected Ludwig Scotty 48 60 Jerry Waidabu 23 - Invalid/blank votes 8 Total votes cast 132

1984 Yaren election MP Joseph Detsimea Audoa died on 18 April 1984. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 25 April 1984 to fill a vacancy in the Yaren Constituency. The election was held on 26 May.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotes Anthony Kododo Detsimea Audoa 95 Elected Alfred Derangdedage Dick 39 Leo Keke 44 Invalid/blank votes 1 Total votes cast179

1984 Meneng election MP James Ategan Bop died on 12 July 1984. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 23 July 1984 to fill a vacancy in the Meneng Constituency. The election was held on 25 August.

CandidateCountsNotes18Parcelle Bop 74 162 Elected Nimrod Botelanga 60 109 Frank Sinatra Janecke Canon 56 - Vinci Niel Clodumar 37 - Paul Denebaua Jeremiah 28 - Alex Dogaben Jimrock Harris 6 - Ralph Steven 5 - Deage Dogurube Dabwido 4 - David Audi Dabwido 1 - Invalid/blank votes 11 Total votes cast282

1988 Ubenide election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 29 July 1988 to fill a vacancy in the Ubenide Constituency. The election was held on 25 August.

CandidateCountsNotes12345678 Kennan Adeang 180 180 181 182 188 200 224 243 Elected Francis Garoa 72 73 73 76 76 80 87 121 Royden Basil Hiram 63 63 65 65 65 73 84 104 Lagumot Harris 57 58 59 61 66 66 73 - Paul Laurence Maginkieo Ribauw 36 37 37 38 40 49 - - Ekedu Rarube Itsimaera 30 30 31 31 33 - - - Mark Dennis Gourdage Kun 11 12 13 15 - - - - Joseph Hiram 8 9 9 - - - - - Andre Godoru Notte 6 6 - - - - - - Samuel Cagney Scotty 5 - - - - - - - Invalid/blank votes 13 Total votes cast 481

1991 Boe election MP Kenas Aroi died on 22 January 1991. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 28 January 1991 to fill a vacancy in the Boe Constituency. The election was held on 2 March.

CandidateCountsNotes12345 August Detonga Deiye 52 57 84 115 156 Elected Baron Waqa 58 61 74 86 123 Clinton Denton Benjamin 62 66 67 78 - Volmer Aloysious Appi 41 49 54 - - Michael Mathias Aroi 37 46 - - - Kelly Deouri Emiu 29 - - - - Invalid/blank votes 4 Total votes cast 283

1992 Boe election MP Hammer DeRoburt died on 15 July 1992. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 27 July 1992 to fill a vacancy in the Boe Constituency. The election was held on 22 August.

CandidateCountsNotes12345678 Michael Mathias Aroi 89 91 94 95 102 107 118 165 Elected Clinton Denton Benjamin 76 79 83 86 89 90 95 107 Cridden Alexius Appi 23 24 25 26 28 42 59 - Dale Richard Cecil 23 23 23 23 27 33 - - Remus Semisi Capelle 19 20 20 21 26 - - - Ereeti Nangindeit Batiua 16 17 18 21 - - - - John Walt Fagan Adam 9 9 9 - - - - - Boronga Yeru Uera 9 9 - - - - - - Ross Cain 8 - - - - - - - Invalid/blank votes 9 Total votes cast 281

1994 Ubenide election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 13 June 1994 to fill a vacancy in the Ubenide Constituency. The election was held on 9 July.

CandidateCountsNotes123456789 Lagumot Harris 128 128 134 139 150 156 181 214 306 Elected Aloysius Edrick Arobao Iyomogo Amwano 120 121 121 122 126 141 162 201 296 Timothy Robidok Detudamo 140 140 143 150 153 161 168 187 - Alf Diringa Itsimaera 66 66 67 68 73 78 91 - - Freddie Pitcher 55 55 58 59 63 66 - - - Royden Basil Hiram 31 32 33 35 37 - - - - Paul Lawrence Maginkieo Ribauw 24 25 25 29 - - - - - Russell Kun 20 20 21 - - - - - - Joseph Hiram 15 15 - - - - - - - Charles Lanza Dabana 3 - - - - - - - - Invalid/blank votes 20 Total votes cast 622

1996 Buada election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 28 June 1996 to fill a vacancy in the Buada Constituency. The election was held on 9 July.

CandidateCountsNotes1234 Vinson Detenamo 85 89 97 109 Elected Lyn Terangi Adam 38 45 55 93 Nelson De-Burma Tamakin 39 43 50 - Rayong Anton Borben Itsimaera 21 25 - - Miniva Depaune 19 - - - Invalid/blank votes 1 Total votes cast 203

1996 Anetan election MP Roy Degoregore died on 24 August 1996. A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 2 September 1996 to fill a vacancy in the Anetan Constituency. The election was held on 5 October.

CandidateCountsNotes123456789101112 Remy Namaduk 113 113 113 114 116 120 125 131 139 156 181 219 Elected Gaiman Deireragea 64 64 65 67 71 73 76 80 96 109 134 192 Rimone Tom 50 51 53 54 54 54 58 62 63 77 96 - Vassal Gadoengin 39 40 40 40 41 43 45 48 57 69 - - Bucky Adago Deinuwea Ika 41 42 42 42 43 45 47 48 56 - - - Nicholas Yanaw Duburiya 21 22 22 24 27 32 33 42 - - - - Jacobus Tevaki Fritz 21 21 21 21 23 25 27 - - - - - George Caleb 13 13 16 17 19 19 - - - - - - Julie June Olsson 14 14 16 16 17 - - - - - - - Haseldon Buraman 14 14 14 16 - - - - - - - - Jane Lewis 9 9 9 - - - - - - - - - John Daroa Olsson 7 8 - - - - - - - - - - Jaxon Dori Olsson 5 - - - - - - - - - - - Invalid/blank votes 17 Total votes cast 428

February 1998 by-elections In early 1998, five Nauruan MPs were dismissed by Speaker Kennan Adeang. As a result, a writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 22 January 1998 to fill a vacancy in the following constituencies: Boe, Buada, Meneng, Ubenide, and Yaren. The elections were held on 21 February. Three of the five dismissed MPs were re-elected.

ConstituencyCandidateCountsNotes123Boe Ross Cain 87 119 183 Elected Clinton Denton Benjamin 137 148 169 Baron Waqa 71 85 - Michael Mathias Aroi 57 - - Invalid/blank votes 2 Total votes cast 354 ConstituencyCandidateCountsNotes123Buada Ruben Kun 156 Elected Ivor Detenamo 90 Invalid/blank votes 0 Total votes cast 246 ConstituencyCandidateCountsNotes123Meneng Nimrod Botelanga 247 Elected Vinci Niel Clodumar 197 Joshua Porthos Bop 28 John Brechtefeld 15 Invalid/blank votes 4 Total votes cast 491 ConstituencyCandidateCountsNotes123Ubenide Aloysius Iyomago Amwano 301 325 370 Elected Lagumot Harris 289 307 333 Royden Hiram 57 71 - Paul Maginkieo Ribauw 56 - - Invalid/blank votes 5Total votes cast 708 ConstituencyCandidateCountsNotes123Yaren Anthony D. Audoa 129 Elected Pres Nimes Ekwona 69 Leo Keke 56 Invalid/blank votes 2 Total votes cast 256

1998 Aiwo election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 24 June 1998 to fill a vacancy in the Aiwo Constituency. The election was held on 25 July.

Candidate1st Preference VotesNotesRené Harris 189 Elected Richard Dugan Bill 94 Invalid/blank votes 10 Total votes cast293

2001 Ubenide election A writ was issued by the speaker of Parliament on 7 November 2001 to fill a vacancy in the Ubenide Constituency. The election was held on 8 December.