1903 East Sydney by-election

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1903 East Sydney by-election
Flag of Australia (converted).svg
  1901 18 August 1903 1903  

The East Sydney seat in the House of Representatives
Registered13,763
Turnout2,073 (15.06%)
 First partySecond partyThird party
  George Reid cph.3c31684.jpg
PROT
IND
Candidate George Reid William MaguireJohn Blake
Party Free Trade Protectionist Independent
Popular vote1,69725996
Percentage82.70%12.62%4.68%
SwingIncrease2.svg 14.67Increase2.svg 12.62Increase2.svg 4.68

MP before election

George Reid
Free Trade

Elected MP

George Reid
Free Trade

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives electorate of East Sydney in New South Wales on 4 September 1903, a Friday. It was triggered by the resignation of George Reid on 18 August 1903. The writ for the by-election was issued on 20 August, nominations for candidates closed on 27 August.

Contents

Background

At the time of his resignation, Reid was the leader of the Free Trade Party and the first Australian Opposition Leader. He resigned in protest on the day that a bill was passed in the parliament regarding the allocation of electoral boundaries for the state of New South Wales. [1]

Results

East Sydney by-election, 1903 [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Free Trade George Reid 1,69782.70+14.67
Protectionist William Maguire25912.62+12.62
Independent John Blake964.68+4.68
Total formal votes2,05298.99+2.32
Informal votes211.01−2.32
Registered electors 13,763
Turnout 2,07315.06−46.65
Free Trade hold Swing +14.67

Aftermath

Reid was returned as member for East Sydney with an increased majority. He was the first member of the House of Representatives to resign, and was the only person in federal parliamentary history to win back their own seat in a by-election after resigning until John Alexander did the same at the Bennelong by-election.

References

  1. "FEDERAL POLITICS". The West Australian . Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 August 1903. p. 7. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  2. Commonwealth By-elections 1901–82. Canberra: Australian Electoral Commission. 1983.

See also