1908 Western Australian state election
Appearance
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All 50 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections were held in the Australian state of Western Australia in late 1908 to elect 50 members to the state's Legislative Assembly. The main polling day was 11 September, although five remote electorates went to the polls at later dates.
The governing Ministerialists (led by the premier, Newton Moore) lost five seats, but retained a majority government. The Labour Party, led by Thomas Bath, gained eight seats for a total of 22, equalling their record set at the 1904 election. For the first time, no independents were elected.
Key dates
[edit]- Issue of writs: Wednesday 26 August
- Close of nominations: Thursday 3 September
- Main polling day: Friday 11 September
- Return of writs: Saturday 19 September
- Polling day for Roebourne: Wednesday 30 September
- Return of writs: Saturday 10 October
- Polling day for Gascoyne: Thursday 1 October
- Return of writs: Thursday 15 October
- Polling day for Dundas and Pilbara: Friday 16 October
- Return of writs: Friday 23 October
- Polling day for Kimberley: Friday 23 October
- Return of writs: Saturday 31 October
Electoral system
[edit]Members were elected through instant-runoff voting, which at the time was called alternative voting.
Results
[edit]
Western Australian state election, 1908[1] | ||||||
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Enrolled voters | 135,979[1] | |||||
Votes cast | 75,855 | Turnout | 66.49% | +14.63 | ||
Informal votes | 926 | Informal | 1.22% | +0.21 | ||
Summary of votes by party | ||||||
Party | Primary votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | |
Ministerialist | 46,169 | 61.62% | +7.78 | 28 | –5 | |
Labour | 28,325 | 37.80% | +2.73 | 22 | +8 | |
Independent Labour | 435 | 0.58% | –3.55 | 0 | –1 | |
Total | 74,929 | 50 |
See also
[edit]- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1905–1908
- Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1908–1911
Notes
[edit]- 1 The total number of enrolled voters was 135,979, of whom 21,898 were registered in nine uncontested seats. Four of the uncontested seats were won by Ministerialists and five by Labour.
References
[edit]- ^ Australian Politics and Elections Database, University of Western Australia.