18 Oct 2010

Record number of candidates in Cooks election

5:08 pm on 18 October 2010

A record number of candidates will be contesting the Cook Islands general elections on November 17th.

70 candidates will be vying for seats in the 24-member Parliament.

A third political party and a newcomer to Cook Islands politics, Te Kura o te Au, isn't regarded as a serious threat to the Democratic or Cook Islands parties.

The 2010 general elections also sees the largest number of independent candidates.

16 independents are standing and this may affect the traditional dominance of the two main parties.

One independent candidate, Tim Arnold, has advocated the need for the Cook Islands to undergo what he calls a political upgrade, including constitutional reform.