1987 New Zealand general election

1987 New Zealand general election

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All 97 seats in the House of Representatives 49 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader David Lange Jim Bolger Neil Morrison Party Labour National Democrats Leader since 3 February 1983 26 March 1986 23 August 1986 Leader's seat Mangere King Country Pakuranga (lost seat) Last election 56 seats, 42.98% 37 seats, 35.89% 2 seats, 7.63% Seats before 55 38 2 Seats won 57 40 0 Seat change 2 2 2 Popular vote 878,448 806,305 105,091 Percentage 47.96% 44.02% 5.74% Swing 4.98% 8.13% 1.89%
Results by electorate, shaded by winning margin
Prime Minister before election David Lange Labour Subsequent Prime Minister David Lange Labour

The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 42nd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains. The election also saw the elimination of the Democratic Party (formerly the Social Credit Party) from Parliament, leaving Labour and National as the only parties represented.

1987 marked the first time that a Labour Government had been reelected to a second term since 1938, and the first to be reelected overall since 1946. This was in spite of the fact that this was the fourth consecutive election in which Labour won the popular vote.