December 1911 Cobar state by-election

December 1911 Cobar
state by-election

←  Sep. 1911 16 December 1911 1913  →
Electoral district of Cobar in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Registered	7,806 [a]
First party   Candidate Charles Fern Party Labour Popular vote Unopposed
MP before election Donald Macdonell Labour Elected MP Charles Fern Labour

The December 1911 Cobar state by-election was scheduled to be held on 16 December 1911 to elect the member for Cobar in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the death of Labour Party MP Donald Macdonell. ^{[1] [2]}

Macdonell had been absent from parliament because he was unwell, but he was expected to recover. ^{[3] [4]} During his absence, a political crisis caused by the resignation of two Labour members resulted in the parliament being prorogued, and he was automatically expelled for non-attendance during an entire session. ^{[5] [6]} His seat was declared vacant in September 1911, but he recontested and was elected unopposed at the resulting by-election. ^{[7] [8]}

Three weeks after the September by-election, Macdonell died, triggering a second by-election. ^{[9] [10]} The only candidate to contest was Labour's Charles Fern, and he was declared elected at the close of candidate nominations on 2 December 1911. ^{[11] [12]}

Key events

• 26 October 1911 − Donald Macdonell died ^[13]
• 13 November 1911 − Charles Fern wins Labour preselection ^[14]
• 21 November 1911 − Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ^[15]
• 2 December 1911 − Candidate nominations
• 16 December 1911 − Polling day (scheduled date)
• 30 December 1911 − Return of writ (scheduled date)

Candidates

Party		Candidate	Background
	Labour	Charles Fern	Miner and union official [16] [17]

Result

December 1911 Cobar state by-election ^[18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Charles Fern	unopposed
Registered electors			7,806 [a]
	Labour hold

See also

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

Notes

1. Estimate based on a roll of 7,806 at the 1910 election. ^[19]

References

1. "THE COBAR SEAT". The Western Herald. 9 December 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
2. "Fern's First". The Cobar Herald. 22 December 1911. p. 11. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
3. "MR. MACDONELL'S HEALTH". Evening News. 15 May 1911. p. 7. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
4. "Mr. Macdonell's Illness". Australian Town and Country Journal. 12 July 1911. p. 18. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
5. "IS MR. MACDONELL'S SEAT VACANT". Evening News. 2 August 1911. p. 9. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
6. "COBAR VACANCY". The Daily Telegraph. 21 August 1911. p. 12. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
7. "Mr. Macdonell's re-election". The Daily Telegraph. 25 September 1911. p. 8. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
8. "THE COBAR SEAT". The Daily Telegraph. 25 September 1911. p. 10. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
9. "The Late Donald Macdonell". The Yass Courier. 30 October 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
10. "DONALD MACDONELL". The Worker. 2 November 1911. p. 16. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
11. "MR. FERN RETURNED UNOPPOSED". The Sun. 2 December 1911. p. 7. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
12. "COBAR ELECTION". The Daily Telegraph. 4 December 1911. p. 9. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
13. "DEATH OF MR. DONALD MACDONELL". The Farmer and Settler. 27 October 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
14. "The Cobar Seat". National Advocate. 14 November 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
15. "WRIT OF ELECTION". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. 21 November 1911. p. 6195. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
16. "A BIT ABOUT MR. FERN". The Cobar Herald. 17 November 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
17. "Mr Charles Stuart FERN (1884 - 1918)". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 28 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
18. Green, Antony. "Cobar - By-election December 1911". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
19. Green, Antony. "Cobar - 1910". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.