1903 Moree state by-election

1903 Moree state by-election

←  1901 12 December 1903 1904  →
Electoral district of Drummoyne in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Registered	12,875 [a]
Turnout	39.79% ( 18.16) [a]
First party Second party   LRP IND Candidate Percy Stirton Alfredo Zlotkowski Party Liberal Reform Ind. Liberal Popular vote 689 440 Percentage 61.03% 38.97% Swing 61.03 38.97
MP before election William Webster Labour Elected MP Percy Stirton Liberal Reform

The 1903 Moree state by-election was held on 12 December 1903 to elect the member for Moree in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Labour Party MP William Webster, who contested the seat of Gwydir at the 1903 federal election.

Labour selected Matthew Boland as its candidate, but he withdrew because he felt "too nervous". ^[1] Leonard Court was subsequently chosen as Boland's replacement, but he was not officially nominated in time, preventing Labour from contesting the seat. ^{[2] [3]}

Percy Stirton won the by-election for the Liberal Reform Party with 61% of the vote, defeating Independent Liberal candidate Alfredo Zlotkowski. ^[4] This was the last contest for Moree, with the seat abolished in 1904 and largely replaced by a recreated state seat of Gwydir following the outcome of the 1903 New South Wales referendum that reduced the number of Legislative Assembly members. ^[5]

Key dates

• 18 November 1903 – William Webster resigns
• 19 November 1903 – Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ^[6]
• 30 November 1903 – Matthew Boland withdraws as Labour candidate ^[7]
• 1 December 1903 – Candidate nominations
• 12 December 1903 – Polling day
• 16 December 1903 – Federal election
• 23 December 1903 – Return of writ

Result

1903 Moree state by-election ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Reform	Percy Stirton	689	61.03	+61.03
	Independent Liberal	Alfredo Zlotkowski	440	38.97	+38.97
Total formal votes			1,129	98.69	N/A
Informal votes			15	1.31	N/A
Turnout			1,144	39.79 [a]	−18.16
	Liberal Reform gain from Labour

See also

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

Notes

1. Estimate based on a roll of 2,875 at the 1901 election. ^[9]

References

1. "The Moree Election". Warialda Standard and Northern Districts' Advertiser. 8 December 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
2. "LABOUR CANDIDATE NOT NOMINATED". Evening News. 2 December 1903. p. 3. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
3. "The nomination mistake". Evening News. 3 December 1903. p. 5. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
4. "STIRTON WINS EASILY". Warialda Standard and Northern Districts' Advertiser. 15 December 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
5. "1904 Redistribution". Atlas of New South Wales. NSW Land Registry Services. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
6. "WRIT OF ELECTION". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 20 November 1903. p. 8539. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
7. "Only two candidates nominated". The Daily Telegraph. 2 December 1903. p. 9. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
8. Green, Antony. "Moree - By-election 1903". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
9. Green, Antony. "Moree - 1901". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.