1898 Sydney-Fitzroy colonial by-election

1898 Sydney-Fitzroy colonial by-election

←  1895 3 June 1898 July 1898  →
Electoral district of Sydney-Fitzroy in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Registered	2,157 [a]
Turnout	66.7% ( 3.4) [a]
First party Second party   FTP Candidate John Norton Henry Chapman Party Protectionist Free Trade Popular vote 617 546 Percentage 43.2% 38.2% Swing 43.2 2.2
MP before election John McElhone Ind. Free Trade Elected MP John Norton Protectionist

The 1898 Sydney-Fitzroy colonial by-election was held on 3 June 1898 to elect the member for Sydney-Fitzroy in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the death of Independent Free Trade MP John McElhone. ^{[1] [2]} The vote was held on the same day as a by-election in Narrabri and a statewide referendum on the subject of federation. ^{[3] [4]}

The by-election was won by Protectionist candidate John Norton, who defeated Free Trade candidate Henry Chapman and fellow Protectionist candidates Patrick Dorahy and William Martin. ^[5] Norton lost the seat 54 days later at the New South Wales colonial election on 27 July 1898, when it was gained by Chapman with 51.2% of the vote. ^{[6] [7]}

Key dates

• 6 May 1898 – John McElhone died
• 18 May 1898 – Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ^[8]
• 27 May 1898 – Candidate nominations ^[9]
• 3 June 1898 – Election day
• 10 June 1898 – Return of writ

Result

1898 Sydney-Fitzroy by-election ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Protectionist	John Norton	617	43.2	+43.2
	Free Trade	Henry Chapman	546	38.2	+2.2
	Protectionist	Patrick Dorahy	166	11.6	+11.6
	Protectionist	William Martin	99	6.9	+6.9
Total formal votes			1,428	99.3	+0.0
Informal votes			10	0.7	+0.0
Turnout			1,438	66.7 [a]	+3.4
	Protectionist gain from Ind. Free Trade

See also

• Electoral results for the district of Sydney-Fitzroy
• List of New South Wales state by-elections

Notes

1. Estimate based on a roll of 2,157 at the 1895 election. ^[11]

References

1. "DEATH OF MR. J. McELHONE M.L.A." Kalgoorlie Miner. 7 May 1898. p. 8. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
2. "Death of John McElhone". The Bligh Watchman and Coonabarabran Gazette. 11 May 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
3. "NARRABRI ELECTION". The Inquirer and Commercial News. 6 May 1898. p. 10. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
4. "Referendum Day". The Maitland Daily Mercury. 3 June 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
5. "FITZROY ELECTION". Queanbeyan Age. 8 June 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
6. "DEFEAT OF MR. JOHN NORTON". Sydney Morning Herald. 28 July 1898. p. 8. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
7. Norton, John (1 August 1898). "THE FITZROY ELECTION". The Daily Telegraph. p. 6. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
8. "WRIT OF ELECTION". New South Wales Government Gazette. 18 May 1898. p. 3877. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
9. "THE FITZROY ELECTION". Singleton Argus. 19 May 1898. p. 3. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
10. Green, Antony. "Sydney-Fitzroy - By-election 1898". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
11. Green, Antony. "Sydney-Fitzroy - 1895". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2025.