Apisai Ielemia was elected to represent Vaitupu at the general election. On 5 October 2016 Chief Justice Sweeney of the High Court of Tuvalu declared that Ielemia's parliamentary seat was vacant as he was not qualified to be a member of parliament, as the consequence of the short time the opposition MP served time in jail following his conviction on 6 May 2016 in the Magistrate's Court of charges of abuse of office during the final year of his term as Prime Minister (August 2006 to September 2010). The by-election was won by pro-government candidate Isaia Vaipuna Taape. Taape was sworn in as a member of parliament for Vaitupu on Wednesday 16 August 2017.