On 11 June, the government announced that a general election would be held in September, and at the same time they introduced legislation that postponed the three by-elections.

[11] Two of the three Fighting Forces League candidates were also supported by the Real Democracy Movement,[12] which had been formed by the Social Credit Association.

Both seats were held for the National Party by serving officers; James Hargest (Awarua) was interned in Switzerland, and Tom Macdonald (Mataura) had just been invalided home.

Initially, the outcome in at least ten electorates was in doubt: Oamaru, Eden, Raglan, New Plymouth, Otaki, Wairarapa, Waitemata, Hamilton, Nelson, and Motueka.

This included National's T. R. Beatty, a building contractor from Oamaru who had supposedly beaten Arnold Nordmeyer, a sitting cabinet minister.

Holland was stunned by the result, and called for a Commission of Inquiry to look at the servicemens' vote, but was answered by a report from the Chief Electoral Officer.

The Labour vote dropped, particularly in rural areas where the now more prosperous farmers returned to their normal political allegiance.

Lee's "Democratic Soldier Labour" party took votes in closely contested seats, and there was a "vast and weird variety of miscellaneous candidates under strange labels".

But with 73,000 servicemens' votes that came in during the day, Lowry (Otaki), Hodgens (Palmerston North) and Roberts (Wairarapa) scraped in.

[25] Two defeated Labour MPs, James Barclay and Charles Boswell, were appointed to diplomatic posts in Australia and Russia, respectively.

The election was also notable for the defeat of Āpirana Ngata a renowned Māori statesman and member for Eastern Maori after 38 years in parliament, by Rātana–Labour candidate Tiaki Omana.

One independent was re-elected: Harry Atmore from Nelson — this was the last electoral victory by a candidate not from the major parties until the 1966 election.