| Election Name: | 1897 Victorian colonial election |
| Country: | Victoria |
| Flag Year: | 1877 |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1894 Victorian colonial election |
| Previous Year: | 1894 |
| Next Election: | 1900 Victorian colonial election |
| Next Year: | 1900 |
| Election Date: | 14 October 1897 |
| Seats For Election: | All 95 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly |
| Leader1: | George Turner |
| Leader Since1: | 27 September 1894 (de facto) |
| Party1: | Liberal |
| Colour1: | F7E894 |
| Leaders Seat1: | St Kilda |
| Seats1: | 55 |
| Percentage1: | 63.69% |
| Leader2: | William Trenwith |
| Leader Since2: | 21 April 1892 (de facto) |
| Party2: | United Labour |
| Leaders Seat2: | Richmond |
| Colour2: | DC241F |
| Percentage2: | 10.44% |
| Seats2: | 8 |
| Premier | |
| Before Election: | George Turner |
| Before Party: | Liberal |
| After Election: | George Turner |
| After Party: | Liberal |
The 1897 Victorian colonial election was held on 14 October 1897 to elect the 17th Parliament of Victoria. All 95 seats in the Legislative Assembly were up for election, though 13 were uncontested.[1]
George Turner's Liberal government was returned with an increased majority.[2]
Formal political parties began to evolve out of faction alignments at this election. The Protectionist and Liberal Party was formed to settle disputes between several Liberal candidates standing for the same seats.[1] [3] [4] The Oppositionists at this election were largely made up of Conservative MPs.[1]
The National Party supported Opposition candidates, although the party also endorsed several Ministerialists, including Alfred Deakin.[1]
| Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Ministerialists | 118,237 | 63.69 | 55 | |||||
| Oppositionist | 45,711 | 24.63 | 32 | |||||
| United Labour | 19,371 | 10.44 | 8 | |||||
| Clerical Party | 1,804 | 0.97 | +0.97 | 0 | ||||
| Independent | 345 | 0.19 | 0 | |||||
| People's Liberal and Independent Labor | 152 | 0.08 | +0.08 | 0 | ||||
| Formal votes | 185,620 | |||||||
| Informal votes | 895 | |||||||
| Total | 186,455 | 95 | ||||||
| Registered voters / turnout | 254,155 | 63.41 | ||||||
In November 1899, Turner lost a vote of confidence when many rural Liberals abandoned him. Allan McLean, the member for Gippsland North, then formed a more conservative administration.[2] The McLean-led Ministerialists lost the 1900 election, and Turner returned to power.