General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 12 August 2026 to determine the composition of the 19th Parliament.
Voting on the island of Nassau in the electorate of Pukapuka–Nassau was delayed to 13 August due to adverse weather.
Electoral system The 24 members of Parliament were elected from single-member electorates by first-past-the-post voting.
There were approximately 11,000 registered voters for this election.
Results Based on preliminary results, the Cook Islands Party looked to have won 12 out of the 24 seats of the parliament, the Cook Islands United Party won four, and the Democratic Party did not win any seats. Cook Islands Party leader and incumbent prime minister Mark Brown won his Takuvaine-Tutakimoa seat and United Party leader Teariki Heather won his Murienua seat, but Democratic Party and opposition leader Tina Browne looked to have lost her Rakahanga seat to Cook Islands Party candidate Levi Hitarahera Teinaki.
With the declaration of the final result on 26 August, Cook Islands Party candidate Tingika Elikana was found to have overcome a narrow deficit shown in the preliminary results to retain his seat, giving his party an outright majority of 13 seats in the parliament. Independent candidates won seven seats, the Cook Islands United Party won four, and the Democratic Party was confirmed to have lost all of its seats.
By electorate Constituency CandidateParty Votes % rowspan="38" align=center Akaoa Robert Stanley Heather 324 82.7Teakaau Tex Tangimetua 68 17.3Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston Albert Nicholas 376 62.5Teina Rongo 226 37.5Matavera Taneao Ngamata 240 37.7Vaitoti Tupa 231 36.3Aneru Andrew Tautu 166 26.1Murienua Teariki Heather 344 64.9Nooroa Baker 169 31.9Samuel Mataroa 17 3.2Ngatangiia Tukaka Ama 272 45.6Mapi Ioteva 241 40.4Itinga Maoate 65 10.9Christopher Robert Denny 18 3.0Nikao–Panama Vaine Mokoroa 497 59.0Ngamau Mere Munokoa 311 36.9Te Tuhi Tauratumaru Kelly 35 4.2Ruaau Tim Tunui Varu 370 51.7Arama Wichman 301 42.1William (Smiley) Heather 44 6.2Takuvaine–Tutakimoa Mark Brown 312 60.2Davina Hosking-Ashford 115 22.2Venetia Mere Jacqueline Tuara 91 17.6Titikaveka Sonny Williams 363 45.9Elizabeth Iro 238 30.1Sholan Ivaiti 189 23.9Tupapa–MaraerengaTamaiti Maru Willie 617 64.2Rota Tama Williams 227 23.6Edward Victor Drollett 117 12.2 rowspan="12" Amuri–Ureia Toanui Isamaela 165 41.9Terepai Maoate 106 26.9Nicholas Royle Henry 98 24.9Tumutoa Teariki Nicholls 25 6.3Arutanga–Reureu–Nikaupara Tereapii Maki-Kavana 179 46.7Maitoe Henry 113 29.5Tekura Moeroa Bishop 91 23.8Vaipae–Tautu Teokotai Herman 241 52.3Teariki Reva George 139 30.2Teariki Kureta Tangua 81 17.6 rowspan="8" Ivirua Agnes Armstrong UncontestedOneroa Rimmel Poila-Mokoroa 77 37.2Teina Tearii 66 31.9Wesley Kareroa 64 30.9Tamarua Tetangi Matapo 34 59.6Ngatamaroa Ngatokorua 23 40.4 rowspan="5" Teenui–Mapumai Rose Toki-Brown 81 77.9Charles Amaru Koronui 23 22.1Tengatangi–Areora–Ngatiarua Te-Hani Brown 95 66.9Puai Tane Wichman 47 33.1 rowspan="19" Manihiki George Maggie Angene 56 45.9Akaiti Puna 51 41.8Puapii William 15 12.3Mauke Stephen Matapo Independence Party 175 89.3James Vini Beer 21 10.7Mitiaro Tuakeu Tangatapoto 60 61.9Makara Murare 35 36.1Paul Raui Pokoati Allsworth 2 2.1Penrhyn Vaine Wichman 71 58.7Sarakura Tapaitau 50 41.3Pukapuka–Nassau Tingika Elikana 146 51.0Kirianu Nio 140 49.0Rakahanga Levi Hitarahera Teinaki 32 54.2Tina Pupuke-Browne 27 45.8 – indicates an incumbent candidate
Aftermath Following these elections, the Cook Islands Party secured an historic fifth consecutive term in government, having won a majority of 13 of the 24 seats in parliament. The party also has existing partnership agreements with the two independent candidates elected for Atiu and the candidate for Mauke. The three independent candidates elected for Mangaia have since agreed to join the Cook Islands Party. This would give the Cook Islands Party-led government caucus a supermajority of 19 seats in parliament. Mark Brown confirmed that he would retain all previous Cabinet ministers that had won their seats in their positions.
Opposition parties the Democratic Party and Cook Islands United Party began talks of a potential merger. Democratic Party leader Tina Pupuke-Browne has pledged a campaign review following the party's poor performance in the election.
The leader of the Cook Islands United Party Teariki Heather nominated his brother Robert Stanley Heather, the MP for Akaoa, for leader of the Opposition.
Three electoral petitions challenging the results of the election in the Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston, Matavera and Pukapuka–Nassau electorates were filed with the Ministry of Justice.
In September 2026, the independent MP for Mauke, Stephen Matapo, formally joined the Cook Islands Party, bringing their majority to 14.
Further in September 2026, Mark Brown requested that the independent MP for Manihiki, George Angene, resign as a minister. Having been a cabinet minister in the previous parliament as a Cook Islands Party MP, Angene retained his warrant following his re-election to parliament, despite having run against the party. Angene refused to resign as minister, though indicated that he would join the opposition. Following this, the Cook Islands Party central committee voted unanimously to expel Angene from the party and Brown removed him from cabinet.
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