1910 South Australian state election explained

Election Name:1910 South Australian state election
Country:South Australia
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1906 South Australian state election
Previous Year:1906
Next Election:1912 South Australian state election
Next Year:1912
Seats For Election:All 42 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly
22 seats were needed for a majority
Leader1:Archibald Peake
Leader Since1:5 June 1909
Party1:Liberal Union
Color1:8EB5D1
Leaders Seat1:Victoria and Albert
Percentage1:49.59%
Swing1: 49.59
Last Election1:Did not exist
Seats1:20 seats
Seat Change1: 20
Popular Vote1:199,915
Leader2:John Verran
Leader Since2:5 June 1909
Party2:United Labor
Color2:ED0B21
Leaders Seat2:Wallaroo
Percentage2:49.10%
Swing2: 14.28
Last Election2:20 seats
Seats2:22 seats
Popular Vote2:197,935
Seat Change2: 2
Premier
Before Election:Archibald Peake
Before Party:Liberal Union
After Election:John Verran
After Party:United Labor

State elections were held in South Australia on 2 April 1910. All 42 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Liberal and Democratic Union (LDU) government led by Premier of South Australia Archibald Peake was defeated by the United Labor Party (ULP) led by John Verran. Each of the 13 districts elected multiple members, with voters casting multiple votes. The Peake LDU minority government had replaced the Price ULP/LDU coalition government in June 1909. The 1910 election was the first to result in a South Australian majority government. This came two weeks after the election of a first majority in either house in the Parliament of Australia at the 1910 federal election, also for Labor. Though a South Australian majority was won, the ULP did not take office until after the new lower house first met.

Background

Following the election, the LDU merged with the two independent conservative parties – the Australasian National League (ANL, formerly National Defence League (NDL)) and the Farmers and Producers Political Union (FPPU) – to become the Liberal Union (LU). The parties readily approved the merger, however, the LDU which salvaged the fewest of their principles from the merger were more hesitant. Peake persuaded a party conference that 'the day of the middle party is passed', and approved the merger by just one vote. The LU was affiliated with the federal Commonwealth Liberal Party (CLP).

The two-seat multi-member district of Northern Territory was abolished in 1911, reducing the House of Assembly to 40 seats.

Results

House of Assembly (FPTP) — Turnout 71.0% (Non-CV)
PartyPrimary votes%SwingSeats+/-
 Liberal Union199,915 49.59 +49.5920 20
 197,935 49.10 +14.2822 2
 Independent5,3091.32-15.130 1
 Formal votes
 Informal votes1.6%
 Total403,15971.0%42

The three anti-Labor parties - the LDU, the ANL and the FPPU - endorsed a shared "Liberal" slate of candidates in all but three Assembly seats and the Council, though they would not formally merge as the Liberal Union until late 1910, months after the election. The listed "Liberal" figure is for the three parties combined.

See also

References

External links