Electorate's History
Fact: Nelson is the only electorate to have retained the same name since the 1850's
Historical Statistics:
1938 46.1% 53.9% Harry Atmore (Ind) 886
1943 48.9% 50.5% Harry Atmore (Ind) 191
1946 52.1% 47.9% Edgar Neale (Nat) 585
1949 54.4% 45.6% Edgar Neale (Nat) 1,373
1951 58.8% 41.2% Edgar Neale (Nat) 2,831
1954 45.7% 41.0% Edgar Neale (Nat) 717
1957 44.8% 48.0% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 509
1960 40.9% 51.7% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 1,767
1963 37.2% 53.4% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 2,610
1966 34.2% 46.4% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 2,045
1969 39.9% 47.6% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 1,248
1972 38.2% 50.0% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 1,933
1975 41.1% 47.0% Stan Whitehead (Lab) 1,093
1976 39.7% 48.4% Mel Courtney (Lab) 1,505
1978 38.7% 50.5% Mel Courtney (Lab) 2,237
1981 13.5% 40.4% Philip Woollaston (Lab) 698
1984 12.8% 47.7% Philip Woollaston (Lab) 3,678
1987 31.5% 57.9% Philip Woollaston (Lab) 5,467
1990 41.1% 44.2% John Blincoe (Lab) 636
1993 30.8% 39.9% John Blincoe (Lab) 2,007
1996 Nick-59.2% National-30.8% Candidate-23.3% Labour-31.8% Nick Smith (Nat) 12,424
1999 Nick-44.8% National-27.0% Candidate-31.8% Labour-40.6% Nick Smith (Nat) 4,521
2002 Nick-46.8% National-19.2% Candidate-34.2% Labour-44.7% Nick Smith (Nat) 4,232
2005 Nick-54.9% National-36.8% Candidate-27.2% Labour-42.8% Nick Smith (Nat) 10,226
2008 Nick-56.3% National-42.3% Candidate-33.0% Labour-37.7% Nick Smith (Nat) 8,471
2011 Nick 53.14% National 45.41% Candidate 32.63% Labour 27.33% Nick Smith (Nat) 7,088
2014 Nick 52.82% National 42.11% Candidate 32.43% Labour 24.63% Nick Smith (Nat) 7,605