1978 Gilbertese parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in the Gilbert Islands on 1 February 1978, with a second round on 6 February.[1]

Electoral system

The recommendations of the 1977 constitutional convention on a proposed electoral system were introduced prior to the 1978 elections. There were to be 35 members of the House of Assembly, who would be elected from 13 single-member constituencies, 8 two-member constituencies, and 2 three-member constituencies. The three-member constituencies covered South Tarawa, the capital and home to nearly one-third of the entire population of 56,000. For the first time, Christmas, Fanning and Washington Islands, as well as Banaba, each returned one member from their populations of migrant workers and their families.

The 35 members of the House of Assembly were elected from 23 constituencies (with each island forming a constituency) using the two-round system; if no candidate received a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round was held within seven days.[2]

Campaign

All candidates for the 35 seats ran as independents. In three constituencies (two seats on Beru, one on Arorae) the candidates were returned unopposed.[3]

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Independents			35
Total				35
Valid votes		14,715	98.07
Invalid/blank votes		289	1.93
Total votes		15,004	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		18,523	81.00
Source: Nohlen et al.

Elected members

Constituency	Member
Abaiang	Taniera Kautoa
	Teatao Teannaki
Abemama	Teewe Arobati
	Tekinaiti Kaiteie
Aranuka	Ioane Benna
Arorae	Teeta Ioran
Banaba	Tabuarorae Taniera
Beru	Otiuea Tanentoa
	Taomati Iuta
Betio	Bwebwentaratai Benson
	Teburea T. Bakaoti
	Roniti Teiwaki
Butaritari	Ieremia Tata
	Toanimatang Teraoi
Fanning Island	Willie Yee-On
Christmas Island	Moiaua Toariri
Kuria	Tetimra Taie
Maiana	Bwebwetake Areieta
Makin	Binata Tetaeka
Marakei	Naboua Ratieta
	Tabeata Tamaiti
Nikunau	Tiwau Awira
Nonouti	Etekia Batiua
	Ieremia Tabai
North Tarawa (Rural Tarawa)	Tenanoa Kanono
	Teweia Uaruta
Onotoa	Babera Kirata
South Tarawa (Urban Tarawa)	Abete Merang
	Karawaiti Taraia
	Toia Taruru
Tabiteuea North	Baraniko Raaba
	Leo T. Ubaitoi
Tabiteuea South	Teitintau Teitiaua
Tamana	Boanareke Boanareke
Washington Island	Tetaake Eria
Source: Parliament of Kiribati

Aftermath

An election for Chief Minister was held on 17 March between Ieremia Tabai, Roniti Teiwaki, Babera Kirata and Taomati Iuta. After Tabai won with 56% of the vote, he appointed a cabinet with Teewe Arobati as Minister for the Line and Phoenix Group, Tiwau Awira as Minister for Finance, Iuta as Minister for Trade, Industry and Labour, Kirata as Minister for Works and Communications, Abete Merang as Minister Health and Community Affairs, Ieremia Tata as Minister for Education, Training and Culture, Teatao Teannaki as Minister for Home Affairs and Teiwaki as Minister for Natural Resource Development. Following independence, Tabai became president, with Teannaki as vice-president.[4]

References

1. Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume II, p679 ISBN 0-19-924959-8
2. Gilbertese at the polls Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1978, p5
3. Barrie Macdonald, (1983) Elections in Kiribati Political Science, volume 35, number 1, pp58–70
4. Historical Information on Members of the Parliament of Kiribati Parliament of Kiribati