1970 Rhodesian general election

10 April 1970

All 66 seats in the House of Assembly
34 seats needed for a majority

	First party	Second party

Leader	Ian Smith	Pat Bashford
Party	RF	Centre Party
Leader's seat	Umzingwane	Borrowdale (lost)
Last election	50	–
Seats won	50	7
Seat change		New
Popular vote	39,066 (European)	5,619 (European) 2,147 (African)
Percentage	76.8% (European)	11.0% (European) 49.6% (African)

Results by constituency
European seats on the left, African seats on the right

Prime Minister before election

Ian Smith
RF

Elected Prime Minister

Ian Smith
RF

Politics of Rhodesia


Political history — Overview 1890–1923 BSA Company rule 1923–1980 Southern Rhodesia 1953–1963 Rhodesia–Nyasaland Federation 1965–1979 Rhodesia under UDI 1979 Zimbabwe Rhodesia (under UDI)
Government Governor / Queen / President Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Cabinet
Legislature 1899–1923 Legislative Council 1924–1970 Legislative Assembly 1970–1979 Parliament Leader of the Opposition
Elections General 1924 1928 1933 1934 1939 1946 1948 1954 1958 1962 1965 1970 1974 1977 1979 1980 Legislative Council 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1920 Referendums 1922 1934 1953 1961 1964 1969 1979
Political parties African National Congress Communist Party Labour Party Liberal Party Rhodesia Party Rhodesian Action Party Rhodesian Front United African National Council United Federal Party Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU)
Foreign relations Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) Ministry of External Affairs Mission in Lisbon Centre in Sydney Passport
National symbols Flag (other flags) Anthem
Other countries

General elections were held in Rhodesia on 10 April 1970. They were the first elections to take place under the revised, republican constitution. The country had declared itself independent in November 1965, shortly after the previous elections; the Rhodesian Front government had always disliked the 1961 constitution and made sure to change it by the time of the next one.