| Elections in Hawaii |
|---|
 |
Legislative elections were held in theHawaiian Kingdom on 6 February 1884[1] to determine the composition of the 28 member Hawaiian House of Representatives. The elections saw the emergence of theIndependent (Kuokoa) Party that opposed the policies of the administration ofKing Kalākaua and PremierWalter M. Gibson. Despite the growing opposition, Gibson'sNational Party was able to maintain a majority in the House of Representatives.[2]
AfterKing Lunalilo’s brief reign ended with his death, King Kalakaua was elected as King of Hawai'i, largely by Americans who favored his pro-American foreign policy.[2] However, he would shock his supporters by taking the counsel of Walter Murray Gibson, a former Mormon missionary and supporter of Native Hawaiian rights. He would quickly becomePremier of the Kingdom and be called Kalakaua's "Minister of Everything", setting much of Hawaiian domestic and foreign policy until 1887.[3]
Many of the wealthy White plantation owners of Hawai'i opposed Gibson's dominance of government and policies. In 1883, before the elections, wealthy white business professionals, such asLorrin A. Thurston,Sanford Dole, andWilliam R. Castle, convened with Native leaders who opposed Gibson's administration and formed the looseIndependent Party, led by Thurston.[4]
The supporters of King Kalakaua and W. Gibson would form theNational Party (also known as the Government Party).[2]
After a close election, the Gibson's National Party maintained control of the House of Representatives, although now starkly divided with the rising Independents.
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | |
| National Party | 15 | |
| Independent (Kuokoa) Party | 13 | |
| Total | 28 | |
| Source: Moblo[2] | ||