1920 Ballaarat by-election

The 1920 Ballaarat by-election was held on 10 July 1920 to elect the member for Ballaarat in the Australian House of Representatives.[1][2]

1920 Ballaarat by-election

 1919
10 July 1920
1922 

Division of Ballaarat in the House of Representatives
Turnout76.7% (Decrease 5.8)
  First party Second party
 
Candidate Charles McGrath Edwin Kerby
Party Labor Nationalist
Primary vote 15,058 11,443
Percentage 51.7% 39.3%
Swing Increase1.7pp Decrease 10.7
TPP 56.1% 43.9%
TPP swing Increase 6.1 Decrease 6.1

MP before election

Edwin Kerby
Nationalist

Elected MP

Charles McGrath
Labor

At the 1919 federal election, Nationalist candidate Edwin Kerby defeated the sitting Labor MP Charles McGrath by a single vote, the narrowest margin in Australian electoral history.[3] McGrath challenged the result successfully on the grounds of electoral irregularities, triggering the by-election, at which McGrath was victorious.[4]

Results

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1920 Ballaarat by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Charles McGrath 15,058 51.7 +1.7
Nationalist Edwin Kerby 11,443 39.3 −10.7
Farmers John Troup 2,413 8.3 +8.3
Independent Edward Callow 186 0.6 +0.6
Total formal votes 29,100 99.3
Informal votes 214 0.7
Turnout 29,314 76.7 −5.8
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Charles McGrath 56.1 +6.1
Nationalist Edwin Kerby 43.9 −6.1
Labor gain from Nationalist Swing+6.1

See also

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References

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  1. "BALLARAT BY-ELECTION". Barrier Miner. 8 July 1920. p. 2. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  2. "Labor majority increases". The Horsham Times. 16 July 1920. p. 5. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  3. Rhodes, Campbell (1 December 2017). "Eight by-elections that changed the game". Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Archived from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  4. "House of Representatives Members – 8th Parliament 1919-1922". AustralianPolitics.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  5. "BY-ELECTIONS 1919-22". Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive. Archived from the original on 16 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2025.