[2] The by-election was contested by nine candidates, including James Henare who had stood for the National Party several times previously.

There were multiple nominations for the Labour Party candidacy:[3] Rata was selected at a members hui.

[7] William Clarke, a dairy farmer from Kaitaia was selected by the Social Credit Party.

[8] The following table gives the election results: The by-election was the closest National has come to winning a Maori seat since 1943, although National's Auckland division did not appreciate the opportunity with a Henare descendant and support from Ngati Whatua, and gave little money and backing to their candidate; for which they were later criticised by the "more astute" South Auckland and Wellington Division leaders.

Henare still got the largest swing to National in a by-election in the party's history, with Labour having only a 447-vote majority compared with 3,372 at the previous general election.