Tietjerksteradeel (electoral district)

Tietjerksteradeel was an electoral district of the House of Representatives in the Netherlands from 1897 to 1918.

The electoral district of Tietjerksteradeel was created in 1897 as a continuation of the district of Bergum. Its boundaries corresponded with that of Bergum, comprising the rural municipalities of Achtkarspelen, Kollumerland, Smallingerland and Tietjerksteradeel in the province of Friesland. It was a predominantly agricultural district.^[1][2]

The district's population grew from 44,324 in 1897 to 48,150 in 1909. Roughly half the population was Dutch Reformed, dropping slightly from 53.5% in 1897 to 49.5% in 1909. Another 39% of the population identified as Gereformeerd, while in 1909, 7.6% of the population did not identify with any denomination. Catholics constituted a negligible minority in the district.^[3][4]

The district of Tietjerksteradeel was abolished upon the introduction of party-list proportional representation in 1918.

In its inaugural election, Tietjerksteradeel elected Pieter Jelles Troelstra, leader of the Social Democratic Workers' Party. In the following election, however, he was defeated by the Anti-Revolutionary candidate Syb Talma. Talma was appointed Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce in 1908, triggering a by-election which was won by Coenraad van der Voort van Zijp, who would go on to become the district's longest-serving representative, serving until its abolition in 1918.