1925 Australian Senate election

1925 Australian Senate election

←  1922 14 November 1925 1928  →
22 of the 36 seats in the Senate 19 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader George Pearce Albert Gardiner Party Nationalist/Country coalition Labor Leader's seat Western Australia New South Wales Seats before 24 [a] 12 Seats won 22 0 Seats after 28 8 Seat change 4 4 Popular vote 1,537,282 1,262,912 Percentage 54.81 45.02 Swing 5.59 0.68

The 1925 Australian Senate election was held on 14 November 1925 to elect 22 of the 36 senators in the Australian Senate as part of the 1925 federal election. Each state elected three senators to serve a six-year term beginning on 1 July 1926. Due to casual vacancies, Victoria and Tasmania elected an extra senator, while New South Wales elected two extra senators. ^[1]

The election was the first to implement compulsory voting following the passing of the 1924 amendment to the Commonwealth Electoral Act. The introduction of compulsory voting raised turnout to over 91%, compared with a turnout of under 60% at the previous election. ^[2]

Australia

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, National ^{[1] [3]}

Party			Votes	%	±	Seats
						Seats won	Not up	New total	Seat change
		Nationalist	1,272,127	45.35	+9.12	18	6	24
		Country	265,155	9.45	–3.54	4	0	4	4
	Nationalist/Country Coalition		1,537,282	54.81	+5.59	22	6	28	4
	Labor		1,262,912	45.02	–0.68	0	8	8	4
	Independent		4,808	0.17	–1.33	0	0	0
Total			2,805,002	100.00	–	22	14	36	–
Invalid/blank votes			209,951	6.96	−2.48	–	–	–	–
Turnout			3,014,953	91.31	+33.32	–	–	–	–
Registered voters			3,302,016	–	–	–	–	–	–

New South Wales

Following the death of Nationalist senator Edward Millen in September 1923, Nationalist Walter Massy-Greene was appointed by the Parliament of New South Wales to fill the casual vacancy. ^{[4] [5]} Additionally, after the death of Labor senator Allan McDougall in October 1924, the vacancy was first filled by Jack Power and then by William Gibbs, both Labor members. ^{[6] [5]} As a result, New South Wales elected five senators, with the fourth and fifth senators elected sitting the remainder of Millen and McDougall's term ending on 30 June 1929. ^[7]

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, New South Wales [3] [7] [8] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist/Country Coalition 1. Charles Cox (Nat) (re-elected 1) 2. Percy Abbott (CP) (elected 5) 3. Walter Massy-Greene (Nat) (elected 3) 4. Josiah Thomas (Nat) (elected 4) 5. Walter Duncan (Nat) (re-elected 2) 572,583 53.45 −0.35 Labor 1. Albert Gardiner (defeated) 2. John Dooley 3. Donald Grant 4. James Dunn 5. John Eldridge 498,672 46.55 +2.55 Total formal votes 1,071,255 93.57 +3.57 Informal votes 73,638 6.43 −3.57 Turnout 1,144,893 90.31 +35.82

# Senator Party 1 Charles Cox   Nationalist 2 Walter Duncan   Nationalist 3 Walter Massy-Greene   Nationalist 4 Josiah Thomas   Nationalist 5 Percy Abbott   Country

Victoria

Following the death of Labor senator Stephen Barker in June 1924, Labor member Joseph Hannan was appointed by the Parliament of Victoria to fill the casual vacancy. ^{[5] [9]} As a result, Victoria elected four senators, with the fourth senator elected sitting the remainder of Barker's term ending on 30 June 1929. ^[10]

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, Victoria [3] [10] [11] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist/Country Coalition 1. Harold Elliott (Nat) (re-elected 1) 2. David Andrew (CP) (elected 4) 3. James Guthrie (Nat) (re-elected 2) 4. William Plain (Nat) (re-elected 3) 459,406 54.52 N/A Labor 1. Joseph Hannan (defeated) 2. Albert Blakey 3. Richard Keane 4. Jack Holloway 383,298 45.48 −3.50 Total formal votes 842,704 92.37 +0.30 Informal votes 69,634 7.63 −0.30 Turnout 912,338 92.98 +36.75

# Senator Party 1 Harold Elliott   Nationalist 2 James Guthrie   Nationalist 3 William Plain   Nationalist 4 David Andrew   Country

Queensland

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, Queensland [3] [12] [13] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist 1. Thomas Givens (re-elected 1) 2. William Glasgow (re-elected 2) 3. William Thompson (re-elected 3) 214,629 57.29 +14.94 Labor 1. Jim Riordan 2. Harald Jensen 3. Harry Turley 160,016 42.71 −1.30 Total formal votes 374,645 93.62 +4.37 Informal votes 25,530 6.38 −4.37 Turnout 400,175 90.77 +8.11

# Senator Party 1 Thomas Givens   Nationalist 2 William Glasgow   Nationalist 3 William Thompson   Nationalist

Western Australia

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, Western Australia [3] [14] [15] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist/Country Coalition 1. William Carroll (CP) (elected 3) 2. George Pearce (Nat) (re-elected 1) 3. Patrick Lynch (Nat) (re-elected 2) 92,125 57.44 0.00 Labor 1. Andrew Clementson 2. Ernest Barker 3. James Kenneally 63,460 39.57 −2.06 Independent 1. James Crawford 4,808 3.00 +3.00 Total formal votes 160,393 92.61 +1.85 Informal votes 12,805 7.39 −1.85 Turnout 173,198 89.72 +42.45

# Senator Party 1 George Pearce   Nationalist 2 Patrick Lynch   Nationalist 3 William Carroll   Country

South Australia

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, South Australia [3] [16] [17] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist/Country Coalition 1. John Newland (Nat) (elected 1) 2. Victor Wilson (Nat) (defeated) 3. John Chapman (CP) (elected 3) 4. Alexander McLachlan (Nat) (elected 2) 145,502 54.94 N/A Labor 1. John Daly 2. Frank Lundie 3. Herbert George 119,339 45.06 −3.44 Total formal votes 264,841 94.05 +3.31 Informal votes 16,766 5.95 −3.31 Turnout 281,607 92.82 +39.60

# Senator Party 1 John Newland   Nationalist 2 Alexander McLachlan   Nationalist 3 John Chapman   Country

Tasmania

Following the death of Nationalist senator Thomas Bakhap in August 1923, Nationalist John Hayes was appointed by the Parliament of Tasmania to fill the casual vacancy. ^{[5] [18]} As a result, Tasmania elected four senators, with the fourth senator elected sitting the remainder of Bakhap's term ending on 30 June 1929. ^[19]

1925 Australian federal election: Senate, Tasmania [3] [19] [20] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Nationalist 1. Burford Sampson (elected 2) 2. John Millen (re-elected 1) 3. Charles Grant (defeated) 4. John Earle 5. Herbert Payne (re-elected 3) 6. John Hayes (re-elected 4) 7. John Ockerby 53,037 58.18 +8.10 Labor 1. James McDonald 2. Richard Crouch 3. Thomas Wilson 4. Alfred Higgins 5. William Lloyd 38,127 41.82 −1.50 Total formal votes 91,164 88.73 −2.00 Informal votes 11,578 11.27 +2.00 Turnout 102,742 88.74 +43.11

# Senator Party 1 John Millen   Nationalist 2 Burford Sampson   Nationalist 3 Herbert Payne   Nationalist 4 John Hayes   Nationalist

See also

• Candidates of the 1925 Australian federal election
• Results of the 1925 Australian federal election (House of Representatives)
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1926–1929

Notes

1. As there was no coalition before the previous election, this count is of seats held by the Nationalist Party.

References

1. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate". Psephos. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
2. Evans, Tim (16 January 2006). "Compulsory Voting in Australia" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
3. Barber, Stephen; Johnson, Sue (17 July 2014). "Federal election results 1901–2014" (PDF). Parliamentary Library. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
4. Lee, Andrew. "Massy-Greene, Sir Walter (1874–1952)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
5. Carr, Adam. "The Australian Election Archive Index of Senate appointments 1901-2003". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
6. Tilse, S. M. (2000). "McDougall, Allan (1857–1924)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
7. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate NSW". Psephos. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
8. "1925 Senators elected NSW". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
9. Jones, Paul (2000). "Hannan, Joseph Francis (1873–1943)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
10. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate VIC". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
11. "1925 Senators elected VIC". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
12. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate QLD". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
13. "1925 Senators elected QLD". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
14. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate WA". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
15. "1925 Senators elected WA". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
16. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate SA". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
17. "1925 Senators elected SA". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
18. Bennett, Scott (2004). "Hayes, John Blyth (1868–1956)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
19. Carr, Adam. "1925 Senate TAS". Psephos. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
20. "1925 Senators elected TAS". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 5 January 2025.