The ruling Cook Islands Party has won the by-election in Vaipae Tautu to retain the seat.
In the final count its candidate, Mona Ioane, won 174 votes, which is 76 votes more than the next candidate, Amiria Davey of the One Cook Islands Movement.
The Democratic Party's Teinakore Ioane came third.
There are more than 400 voters on the Vaipae-Tautu electoral roll.
Teinakore Ioane is the widow of Kete Ioane, who had been the constituency's earlier MP and a candidate until his death in February.
Mona Ioane had won the seat in last year's general election to then become the education minister, but the result was successfully challenged in December.
The opposition had hoped for a win because it could have led to a hung parliament.
