1894 Victorian colonial election

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1894 Victorian colonial election

← 1892 20 September 1894 1897 →

All 95 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
  First party Second party
 
Leader George Turner James Patterson
Party Liberal Conservative
Leader's seat St Kilda Castlemaine
Last election 56 seats 28 seats
Seats won 47 27
Seat change Decrease 9 Decrease 1

Premier before election

James Patterson
Conservative

Elected Premier

George Turner
Liberal

The 1894 Victorian colonial election was held on 20 September 1894 to elect the 16th Parliament of Victoria. All 95 seats in the Legislative Assembly were up for election, though 16 were uncontested.[1]

Background[edit]

The Electoral Act Amendment Act of 1888 had increased the number seats in the Legislative Assembly from 86 to 95, and the number of electoral districts from 55 to 84 (73 single-member electorates, 11 two-member electorates).[1] Plural voting was permitted for people who had property in more than one electorate.[1]

The Liberals were split between Oppositionists, led by George Turner, and Ministerialists, led by Conservative Premier James Patterson.[1]

Enrolments in most seats was lower than at the 1892 election, as a result of the Purification of the Rolls Act of 1891.[2] It had the effect of disenfranchising large numbers of voters, mostly the working class, who had changed their residence in the year before the election.[2]

Results[edit]

Legislative Assembly (FPTP)[1][2]
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal Oppositionists 75,404 46.03 47 Decrease 9
  Conservative Ministerialists 44,479 27.15 27 Decrease 1
  United Labour and Liberal 32,474 19.82 18 Increase 9
  Liberal Ministerialists 11,448 6.99 3
 Formal votes 163,805
 Informal votes 754
 Total 164,559 95
 Registered voters / turnout 234,552 70.85

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Election of 20 September 1894". The University of Western Australia.
  2. ^ a b c "THE SIXTEENTH PARLIAMENT ELECTED 20 SEPTEMBER 1894". Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive.