The Rua'au by-election was a by-election

By-election

A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....

 in the Cook Islands

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

 seat of Rua'au. It took place on 14 August 2003, and was precipitated by the death of Democratic Party

Democratic Party (Cook Islands)

The Democratic Party is a liberal political party in the Cook Islands. It is currently the Opposition party in the Cook Islands Parliament.-Early years:...

 MP Maria Heather

Maria Heather

Maria Tapuanoa Heather was a Cook Islands politician and Member of the Cook Islands Parliament. She was a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party ....

.

Three candidates contested the by-election: the Democratic Party's Geoffrey Heather, husband of the former MP; the Cook Islands Party

Cook Islands Party

The Cook Islands Party is a nationalist political party in the Cook Islands. It was the first political party founded in the Cook Islands, and one of the two major parties of the Islands' politics since 1965....

's Vaine Wichman, and Cook Islands National Party

Cook Islands National Party

The Cook Islands National Party was a political party in the Cook Islands. The party was launched on 24 March 2003 by Teariki Heather, a Rarotonga businessman...

 leader Teariki Heather

Teariki Heather

Teariki William Heather is a Cook Islands politician and Cabinet Minister. He represents the constituency of Akaoa for the Cook Islands Party....

. The poll was won by Geoffrey Heather.