General elections were held in the Cook Islands in 1953.

The Cook Islands Legislative Council consisted of ten members elected by island councils (four from Rarotonga and six from smaller islands), ten civil servants appointed by the Governor-General of New Zealand (the Chief Medical Officer, the Director of Agriculture, the Education Officer, six Resident Agents and the Treasurer) and the Resident Commissioner, who was president of the council.

[2] Elections to Rarotonga Island Council were held every three years, with the six Cook Islander members elected from single-member constituencies based on the land survey districts, and the European member from the entire island.

[3] Incumbent MLC Willie Watson was defeated by Henley McKegg.

This was attributed by Pacific Islands Monthly to Watson's criticism of the colonial administration, as more than half of the registered voters were civil servants or their partners.