A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of East Sydney on 7 November 1891 because Edmund Barton was appointed Attorney General in the third Dibbs ministry.[1] Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and the other seven other ministers, George Dibbs (The Murrumbidgee), Henry Copeland (New England), John Kidd (Camden), William Lyne (The Hume), John See (Grafton), Thomas Slattery (Boorowa) and Francis Suttor (Bathurst), were re-elected unopposed.[2]
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 October 1891 | Dibbs ministry appointed.[3] | |
| 27 October 1891 | Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[4] | |
| 3 November 1891 | Nominations | |
| 7 November 1891 | Polling day | |
| 27 November 1891 | Return of writ |