1851 New South Wales colonial election

Last updated

1851 New South Wales colonial election
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
  1848 12 – 25 September 1851 1856  

36 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council

1851 New South Wales colonial election.svg
Results of the election, showing winners in each seat. Seats without circles indicate the electorate returned one member.

The 1851 New South Wales colonial election was held between 12 and 25 September. This election was for 36 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council. The 1848 election had been for 5 year terms however the parliament had been reconstituted following the separation of Victoria. At the same time the council was expanded from 36 to 54 members. The Legislative Council was a hybrid system with 18 appointed members and 36 elected. [1] The Port Philip districts had 6 elected members, which meant there were an additional 18 seats. There were 3 new districts for the northern regions of what would later become Queensland, Stanley, Stanley Boroughs and the pastoral districts of Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa and 7 new pastoral districts in western New South Wales. The other 8 additional seats were distributed among the nineteen counties of New South Wales.

Contents

The election was conducted with a first past the post system for five year terms. [2] [3] [4] [5] The right to vote was limited to men aged over 21 who owned property worth at least £100 or occupied a house at £10 per year. [1] If a man fulfilled these requirements in multiple constituencies, then he was allowed to cast a vote in each. [6] This was known as plural voting. [7]

In 14 out of 31 districts the candidate was elected unopposed, including all eight pastoral districts, which were seen as representing the interests of squatters. [8]

In 1856 the unicameral Legislative Council was abolished and replaced with an elected Legislative Assembly and an appointed Legislative Council.

There would not be another general election for the Legislative Council until 1978.

Key dates

DateEvent
25 to 27 July 1848Nominations for candidates for the election. [9]
12 – 25 September 1851Polling days. [9]
14 October 1851Opening of Legislative Council. [10]

Results

New South Wales colonial election, 12 – 25 September 1851
Legislative Council
<< 18431851 >>

Enrolled voters
Votes cast10,201 Turnout
Informal votes0Informal0
Summary of votes by party
PartyPrimary votes %SwingSeatsChange
Total10,201  36 

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Bourke</span> State electoral district of New South Wales, Australia

Bourke was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1880 to 1904, including the towns of Bourke and Cobar. It elected two members simultaneously between 1882 and 1889 increasing to three members until 1894, with each elector being able to vote for as many candidates as there were vacancies.

Thomas George Rusden was a squatter and politician in colonial New South Wales. He was a member of the Legislative Council between 1855 and 1856 and a member of the Legislative Assembly for one term between 1856 and 1857.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Wisdom (politician)</span> Politician and barrister in New South Wales, Australia

Sir Robert Wisdom, was a politician in colonial New South Wales and Attorney General of New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Fitzgerald Burns</span> Australian politician

John Fitzgerald Burns was an Australian politician, member of the Parliament of New South Wales, Postmaster-General in the 1870s and Colonial Treasurer in the 1880s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wran ministry (1980–1981)</span>

The Wran ministry (1980–1981) or Third Wran ministry was the 73rd ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 35th Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, representing the Labor Party. It was the third of eight consecutive occasions when Wran was Premier.

This is a list of members of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1843 to 1851. The 1843 Electoral Act prescribed 36 members, 24 to be elected, 6 appointed by virtue of their office and 6 nominated. The appointments and elections were for five year terms and thus occurred in 1843, and 1848. The Speaker was Alexander Macleay until 19 May 1846 and then Charles Nicholson. The parliament was dissolved on 30 June 1851 as a result of the 1851 Electoral Act which increased the number of members in the Council to 54.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs</span> Former legislative council electoral district of New South Wales, Australia

The Electoral district of Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. It was a new electorate created in 1851 by the expansion of the Legislative Council to 54, 18 to be appointed and 36 elected. It included the Clarence Valley and the Darling Downs region, which became part of Queensland on its establishment in 1859.

This is a list of members of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1851 to 1856. The 1851 Electoral Act increased the number of members in the Council to 54, 18 to be appointed and 36 elected. The initial appointments were made in October 1851. The Speaker was Charles Nicholson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley</span> Former New South Wales Legislative Council electoral district

The Electoral district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley and from 1851, Gloucester and Macquarie, was an electorate of the partially elected New South Wales Legislative Council, created for the first elections for the Council in 1843. The counties of Gloucester and Macquarie were the settled coastal areas north of Northumberland County, while the County of Stanley was the area surrounding Brisbane, in what became part of Queensland after its separation in 1859. Polling took place at Raymond Terrace, Port Macquarie, Dungog, Stroud, Brisbane, Ipswich and Mr Rowley's residence on the Manning River. The County of Stanley was removed from the district with the expansion of the Council in 1851 and became the districts of County of Stanley and Stanley Boroughs.

The 1856 New South Wales colonial election was to return 54 members of Legislative Assembly composed of 34 electoral districts with 18 returning 1 member, 13 returning 2 members, two returning 3 members and one returning 4 members, all with a first past the post system. In multi-member districts, because each voter could cast more than one vote, it is not possible to total the votes to show the number of voters and voter turnout in these districts is estimated. 8 members from 6 districts were returned unopposed.

The Electoral district of Pastoral Districts of Lachlan and Lower Darling was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. It was a new electorate created in 1851 by the expansion of the Legislative Council to 54, 18 to be appointed and 36 elected. The district covered the south west of New South Wales was named after the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. On its eastern side were the districts of County of Bathurst and Counties of King and Georgiana, to the north was the Pastoral Districts of Wellington and Bligh and to the south was the Counties of Murray and St Vincent. Polling was to occur in the towns of Binalong, Wagga Wagga, Balranald, Canowindra, Gundagai and Yass.

The Electoral district of Pastoral Districts of New England and Macleay was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. It was a new electorate created in 1851 by the expansion of the Legislative Council to 54, 18 to be appointed and 36 elected. The district is located in the north of the state and covered the Northern Tablelands region of New England and part of the Mid North Coast region, including the area to the north of the Macleay River, but excluding the area south of the Macleay River which was included in the Counties of Gloucester and Macquarie. To the north was the Pastoral Districts of Clarence and Darling Downs and to the west the Pastoral Districts of Liverpool Plains and Gwydir. Polling took place in the towns of Wellingrove, Armidale, Tenterfield, Walcha and Kempsey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of County of Stanley</span> Former legislative council electoral district of New South Wales, Australia

The Electoral district of County of Stanley was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. It was a new electorate created in 1851 by the expansion of the Legislative Council to 54 members, with 18 to be appointed and 36 elected. The previous district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley was split into the districts of Gloucester & Macquarie, Stanley and Stanley Boroughs, which included North Brisbane, South Brisbane, Kangaroo Point and Ipswich.

Sydney City, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, had two incarnations, from 1950 until 1971 and from 1988 until 1999.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Bathurst on 8 February 1884 as a result of the Legislative Assembly declaring the seats of Francis Suttor, and George Reid, were vacant as a result of a report of the Committee of Elections and Qualifications that they were incapable of being elected, or of sitting, or voting, as a member of the Assembly.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of East Sydney on 29 February 1884 as a result of the Legislative Assembly declaring the seats of Francis Suttor, and George Reid, were vacant as a result of a report of the Committee of Elections and Qualifications that they were incapable of being elected, or of sitting, or voting, as a member of the Assembly.

A referendum concerning the reform of the New South Wales Legislative Council was put to New South Wales voters on 13 May 1933 and was passed by the voters with a margin of 2.94%. The text of the question was:

Do you approve of the Bill entitled "A Bill to reform the constitution and alter the Powers of the Legislative Council; to reduce and limit the number of Members of the Legislative Council; to reconstitute the Legislative Council in accordance with the reformed constitution; to amend the Constitution Act, 1902, and certain other Acts; and for purposes connected therewith."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1843 New South Wales colonial election</span> Colonial election for New South Wales, Australia in 1843

The 1843 New South Wales colonial election was held between 15 June and 3 July 1843 and was Australia's first colonial election. This election was for 24 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council and it was conducted in 15 single-member constituencies, two 2-member constituencies and one 5-member constituency, all with a first past the post system. This included 6 members in what became the Colony of Victoria and a single member for the coast north of Newcastle. The Legislative Council was a hybrid system with 36 members, 24 elected, 6 appointed by virtue of their office and 6 nominated. The appointments and elections were for five year terms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1848 New South Wales colonial election</span> Colonial election for New South Wales, Australia in 1848

The 1848 New South Wales colonial election was held between 29 July and 2 August 1848. This election was for 24 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council and it was conducted in 15 single-member constituencies, two 2-member constituencies and one 5-member constituency, all with a first past the post system. The Legislative Council was a hybrid system with 36 members, 24 elected, 6 appointed by virtue of their office and 6 nominated. The appointments and elections were for five year terms.<

References

  1. 1 2 Electoral Act of 1851 No 4 (NSW)
  2. "Elected members of the Legislative Council (113)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 10 October 1851. p. 1622. Retrieved 31 October 2021 via Trove.
  3. "Proclamation: appointments to the Legislative Council (114)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 13 October 1851. p. 1640. Retrieved 24 April 2019 via Trove.
  4. "Former Members". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  5. "Part 3 Members of the Legislative Council" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales . Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  6. "Australia's first election— 1843". The Argus . 29 September 1934. p. 6. Retrieved 29 October 2021 via Trove.
  7. "1856 to 1889 - Responsible Government and Colonial Development".
  8. "Who represents the colony?". The Empire . 10 December 1853. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2019 via Trove.
  9. 1 2 "Writs for a general election (88)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 1 August 1851. p. 1267. Retrieved 31 October 2021 via Trove.
  10. "Legislative Council". The Sydney Morning Herald . 15 October 1851. p. 2. Retrieved 31 October 2021 via Trove.