1908 Victorian state election

The 1908 Victorian state election was held in the Australian state of Victoria on 29 December 1908 to elect 40 of the 65 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.[1] The other 25 seats were uncontested.

1908 Victorian state election

29 December 1908 (1908-12-29)
the 65 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
First party Second party   Leader George Prendergast Thomas Bent Party Labor Reform Leader since 1904 Leader's seat North Melbourne Brighton Last election 14 seats 49 seats Seats won 21 seats 22 seats Seat change 7 27 Percentage 34.78 33.94 Swing 1.85% 31.38%
Premier before election Thomas Bent Reform Elected Premier Thomas Bent Reform

The election was in one member districts, using first-past-the-post voting.

Background

Ministerialists were a group of members of parliament who supported a government in office but were not bound by tight party discipline. Ministerialists represented loose pre-party groupings who held seats in state parliaments up to 1914. Such members ran for office as independents or under a variety of political labels but saw themselves as linked to other candidates by their support for a particular premier or government.

The Labor side of politics was controlled by the Political Labor Council. In 1904 Prendergast became the first leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party. The election saw the emergence of the Commonwealth Liberal Party in Victoria. In 1907, John Murray emerged as the leader of a country faction of Bent's Commonwealth Liberal Party, which opposed Bent's free-spending policies. During 1908, Bent's government began to disintegrate as a result of conflict between country and city interests. After the 1908 election, on 8 January 1909, Murray successfully moved a motion of no-confidence in Bent's government and succeeded him as Premier.

Results

Legislative Assembly

Victorian state election, 29 December 1908[1] Legislative Assembly << 1907–1911 >>
Enrolled voters		263,876
Votes cast		164,919		Turnout	53.64%
Informal votes				Informal	0.53%
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	30,605	34.78	+0.38	21	+7
	Liberal	29,866	33.94	New	19	+19
	Reform League	17,578	19.98	-31.38	22	-27
	Independent Liberal	5,455	6.20	New	3	+3
	Independent Ministerialists	539	0.61	-8.86	0	-1
	Victorian Socialist	167	0.19	+0.19	0	0
	Independent	3,785	4.30	+1.94	0	-1
Total		87,995			65

See also

• Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1908–1911

References

1. "Australian Politics and Elections Database: 29 December 1908". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2016.