1901 Darling Downs by-election

1901 Darling Downs by-election
← 1901 14 September 1901 (1901-09-14) 1903 →
The Darling Downs seat in the House of Representatives
Turnout7,264
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Littleton Groom Joshua Thomas Bell
Party Protectionist Independent
Popular vote 4,532 2,687
Percentage 62.78% 37.22%
Swing Decrease15.72 Increase37.22
MP before election

William Henry Groom
Protectionist

Elected MP

Littleton Groom
Protectionist

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives electorate of Darling Downs in Queensland on 14 September 1901, a Saturday. It was triggered by the death of William Henry Groom on 8 August 1901. It was the first by-election of the Australian parliament since Federation. The writ for the by-election was issued on 13 August, nominations for candidates closed on 27 August.

Results

Darling Downs by-election, 1901[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Protectionist Littleton Groom 4,532 62.78 −15.72
Independent Joshua Thomas Bell 2,687 37.22 +37.22
Total formal votes 7,219 99.38 +3.00
Informal votes 45 0.62 −3.00
Turnout 7,264 N/A N/A
Protectionist hold Swing −15.72

Aftermath

Littleton Groom was elected in the by-election, receiving nearly 63 per cent of the vote. Groom was the third son of the deceased former member, William Groom. The other candidate in the by-election was Joshua Thomas Bell, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for the electoral district of Dalby.

References

  1. ^ Commonwealth By-elections 1901–82. Canberra: Australian Electoral Commission. 1983.

See also