1914 Australian Senate election

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1914 Australian Senate election
← 1913 5 September 1914 1917 →
All 36 seats in the Senate
18 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader George Pearce Joseph Cook
Party Labor Liberal
Leader's seat Western Australia Not a Senator
Seats before 29 6
Seats won 30 5
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1
Popular vote 6,119,018 5,605,305
Percentage 52.16% 47.77%
Swing Increase3.43pp Decrease1.61pp

The 5 September 1914 election was a double dissolution election which meant all 36 seats in the Senate were up for election, with each Australian states electing six members, with half to serve a six-year term and the rest to serve a three year term. Terms were taken to have commenced on 1 July 1914. The Senate resolved that in each State the three senators who received the most votes would sit for a six-year term, finishing on 30 June 1920 while the other half would sit for a three-year term, finishing on 30 June 1917.[1]

It was a landslide victory for the Labor Party, which won 31 seats and was the largest party by first preference votes in every state except South Australia. The opposition party, the Commonwealth Liberal Party, won just one seat, which was in South Australia, despite retaining four seats (two each in New South Wales and Tasmania). The Liberal Party lost three seats, one each in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, while Labor lost one seat in New South Wales. Every state except Western Australia and South Australia swung to Labor.

Australia[edit]

Senate 1914 (FPTP BV) — Turnout 62.16% (Non-CV) — Informal 4.66
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
6 year term 3 year term Total
  Labor 6,119,018 52.15 +3.43 17 14 31 Increase 2
  Liberal 5,605,305 47.77 −1.61 1 4 4 Decrease 2
  Independents 9,799 0.08 −0.78
Total 11,734,122 18 18 36
Invalid/blank votes 86,649 4.24 −1.42
Turnout 2,042,336 73.63 −0.99
Registered voters 2,811,515
Source: Psephos: 1914 Senate

New South Wales[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, New South Wales[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Albert Gardiner (elected 1) 344,151 51.6 +1.0 [a]
Labor Allan McDougall (elected 2) 342,482 51.3 +0.3 [a]
Labor John Grant (elected 3) 341,934 51.2 +6.0 [b]
Liberal Sir Albert Gould (re-elected 4) 341,569 51.1 −2.5 [b]
Liberal Edward Millen (re-elected 5) 339,476 50.9 −1.6 [b]
Labor David Watson (elected 6) 338,280 50.7 +5.7 [b]
Liberal Charles Oakes (defeated) 333,763 50.0 −2.3 [b]
Labor Arthur Rae (defeated) 333,243 49.9 +0.9
Labor Ike Smith 324,630 48.6 +6.1 [b]
Liberal Frank Coen 324,152 48.6
Liberal Herbert Pratten 322,076 48.3
Liberal Arthur Trethowan 318,788 47.8
Total formal votes 4,004,514
667,419 voters 		95.02 +1.74
Informal votes 34,948 4.98 −1.74
Turnout 702,403 64.85 −4.34
Party total votes
Labor 2,024,690 50.56 +6.34
Liberal 1,979,824 49.44 −3.32

Queensland[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, Queensland[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Thomas Givens (re-elected 1) 152,990 57.8 +7.0 [a]
Labor Myles Ferricks (re-elected 2) 152,469 57.6 +2.8 [b]
Labor William Maughan (re-elected 3) 152,321 57.5 +2.8 [b]
Labor James Stewart (re-elected 4) 151,553 57.3 +7.6 [a]
Labor John Mullan (re-elected 5) 150,703 56.9 +6.4 [b]
Labor Harry Turley (re-elected 6) 150,703 56.9 +6.4 [a]
Liberal Thomas Crawford 114,652 43.3
Liberal William Aitchison 113,317 42.8
Liberal Frederick Johnson 113,230 42.8
Liberal Adolphus Jones 112,640 42.6
Liberal Edward Smith 111,766 42.2
Liberal Michael O'Donnell 111,396 42.1
Total formal votes 1,588,266
264,711 voters 		95.77 +0.90
Informal votes 11,693 4.23 −0.90
Turnout 276,404 75.07 +1.77
Party total votes
Labor 911,265 57.37 +3.19
Liberal 677,001 42.63 −3.19

South Australia[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, South Australia[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Shannon (elected 1) 190,590 96.1 [c]
Labor John Newlands (re-elected 2) 112,569 56.8 +4.6 [b]
Labor James O'Loghlin (re-elected 3) 112,283 50.6 +4.1 [b]
Labor Robert Guthrie (re-elected 4) 111,774 56.4 +2.4 [a]
Labor William Senior (re-elected 5) 109,975 55.5 +4.4 [b]
Labor William Story (re-elected 6) 108,263 54.6 +8.1 [a]
Liberal Edward Vardon 90,364 45.6
Liberal Benjamin Benny 89,568 45.2
Liberal George Jenkins 89,194 45.0
Liberal George Stewart 88,042 44.4
Liberal Patrick Daley 87,365 44.1
Total formal votes 1,189,987
198,331 voters 		96.16 +1.90
Informal votes 7,913 3.84 −1.90
Turnout 206,244 80.14 +0.04
Party total votes
Liberal 635,123 53.37 +6.97
Labor 554,864 46.63 −6.97

Sitting senator Gregor McGregor (Labor) had re-nominated but died after the close of nominations, leaving Labor with only 5 candidates. Electors were required to vote for 6 candidates or their vote would be invalid. If there was a large informal vote or if the surplus votes were equally distributed there was a risk of Labor losing more than one seat. Labor therefore asked its supporters to vote for John Shannon (Liberal).[5]

Tasmania[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, Tasmania[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor David O'Keefe (re-elected 1) 38,879 50.9 −5.3 [a]
Labor James Long (re-elected 2) 39853, 50.8 −4.8 [a]
Labor James Guy (elected 3) 39,656 50.6 +6.2 [b]
Liberal John Keating (re-elected 4) 39,193 50.0 −2.3 [b]
Labor Rudolph Ready (re-elected 5) 38,779 49.5 −3.9 [a]
Liberal Thomas Bakhap (re-elected 6) 38,779 49.5 −3.3 [b]
Labor William Shoobridge 38,096 48.6
Liberal Edward Mulcahy 38,016 48.5
Liberal Louis Shoobridge 38,006 48.5
Labor James McDonald 37,771 48.2
Liberal John Clemons (defeated) 36,577 46.7 −4.0 [b]
Liberal Hubert Nichols 36,325 46.3
Independent Cyril Cameron 6,979 8.9 +2.8 [b]
Independent David Blanchard 2,820 3.6
Total formal votes 470,292
78,382 voters 		95.29 +1.51
Informal votes 3,871 4.71 −1.51
Turnout 82,253 77.61 +2.30
Party total votes
Labor 234,034 49.76 +3.52
Liberal 226,459 48.15 −3.57
Independent 9,799 2.08 +0.04

Victoria[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, Victoria[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor John Barnes (re-elected 1) 334,782 53.7 +4.5 [b]
Labor Stephen Barker (re-elected 2) 334,517 53.6 +5.2 [a]
Labor Edward Russell (re-elected 3) 334,238 53.6 +3.5 [b]
Labor Andrew McKissock (elected 4) 333,739 53.5 +4.5 [b]
Labor Albert Blakey (re-elected 5) 331,911 53.2 +5.1 [a]
Labor Edward Findley (re-elected 6) 329,198 52.8 +4.1 [a]
Liberal James McColl (defeated) 294,104 47.2 −2.5 [b]
Liberal Samuel Mauger 293,353 47.0 −1.8 [b]
Liberal William Edgar 289,854 46.5
Liberal James Hume Cook 289,478 46.4
Liberal William Trenwith 289,196 46.4
Liberal William McLean 287,542 46.1
Total formal votes 3,741,912
623,652 voters 		96.71 +1.6
Informal votes 21,246 3.29 −1.2
Turnout 644,898 79.15 +3.66
Party total votes
Labor 1,998,385 53.41 +3.98
Liberal 1,743,527 46.59 −2.56

Western Australia[edit]

Each elector voted for up to six candidates. Percentages refer to the number of voters rather than the number of votes.

1914 Australian federal election: Senate, Western Australia[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor George Pearce (re-elected 1) 68,245 55.4 −0.2 [b]
Labor Patrick Lynch (re-elected 2) 66,189 53.7 −0.4 [b]
Labor Ted Needham (re-elected 3) 65,960 53.5 −0.5 [b]
Labor George Henderson (re-elected 4) 65,632 53.3 −2.4 [a]
Labor Richard Buzacott (re-elected 5) 65,303 53.0 −1.2 [b]
Labor Hugh de Largie (re-elected 6) 64,452 52.3 +0.4 [a]
Liberal William Butcher 61,288 49.7 +3.9 [b]
Liberal William Dempster 58,208 47.2
Liberal George Throssell 56,973 46.2
Liberal John Thomson 56,290 45.7
Liberal Victor Spencer 55,448 45.0
Liberal Charles North 55,164 44.8
Total formal votes 739,152
123,192 voters 		94.67 +1.3
Informal votes 6,942 5.33 −0.91
Turnout 130,134 71.46 −2.04
Party total votes
Labor 395,781 53.55 −1.03
Liberal 343,371 46.45 +1.03

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Change compared to the personal vote at the 1910 election.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Change compared to the personal vote at the 1913 election.
  3. ^ John Shannon was included on the Labor ticket.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Rotation of Senators" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: Senate. 9 October 1914. p. 41.
  2. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate New South Wales". Psephos.
  3. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate Queensland". Psephos.
  4. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate South Australia". Psephos.
  5. ^ a b "Warning to Labor electors". Daily Herald. 29 August 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 22 July 2022 – via Trove.
  6. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate Tasmania". Psephos.
  7. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate Victoria". Psephos.
  8. ^ Carr, Adam. "1914 Senate Western Australia". Psephos.
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