The 1880 New South Wales colonial election was for 108 members representing 72 electoral districts. The election was conducted on the basis of a simple majority or first-past-the-post voting system. In this election there were 29 multi-member districts returning 68 members and 43 single member districts. In the multi-member districts each elector could vote for as many candidates as there were vacancies. 14 districts were uncontested. There was no recognisable party structure at this election. The average number of enrolled voters per seat was 1,549 for a country seat and 2,361 for an urban one, ranging from East Maitland (966) to Bourke (3,478).[1]
The electoral boundaries were established under the Electoral Act 1880 (NSW)[2] which was the first major redistribution since 1858 in which 12 districts were abolished, and 23 new districts were created. an overall increase in the number of districts from 61 to 72, and an increase in the number of members from 73 to 108.[3]
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)George Day was the sitting member for The Hume
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member William Davies did not contest the election.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)The Sydney Daily Telegraph reported that 60 of the informal votes had written "I Vote for Taylor" on them, where Jacob Garrard won the election by only 12 votes.[4]
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member Colin Simson did not contest the election.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The Bogan lost part of the district to the new seat of Forbes. The sitting member Walter Coonan unsuccessfully contested Forbes.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Joseph Olliffe had already unsuccessfully contested East Sydney.
The other siting member Arthur Onslow did not contest the election. Joseph Leary was the sitting member for The Murrumbidgee.
One sitting member John Lucas did not contest the election. The other sitting member Sir Henry Parkes successfully contested East Sydney.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)Ezekiel Baker was the sitting member for the abolished district of Goldfields South.
The Clarence lost part of the district to Grafton and part to The Richmond. The sitting member Charles Fawcett successfully contested The Richmond.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Durham replaced all of the abolished district of The Paterson and part of the abolished district of The Williams. Herbert Brown was the member for The Paterson and William Johnston was the member for The Williams.
The sitting member Henry Badgery successfully contested Monaro.
Of the sitting members, James Greenwood and John Macintosh did not contest the election and John Davies successfully contested South Sydney. Sir Henry Parkes was a sitting member for Canterbury.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Forbes replaced part of The Bogan. Walter Coonan was the sitting member for The Bogan.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Glen Innes was created from the northern part of New England.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Archibald Jacob was the member for the abolished district of The Lower Hunter.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Grafton was created from part of The Clarence.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Grenfell partly replaced the abolished district of The Lachlan.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Gundagai partly replaced the abolished district of The Lachlan.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
The sitting member Thomas Dangar successfully contested The Namoi.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Replaced the abolished district of The Hastings. The sitting member Robert Smith successfully contested The Macleay.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 less seat)The other sitting member Henry Moses did not contest the election. Henry McQuade was the sitting member for the abolished district of Windsor.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member George Day successfully contested Albury
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Robert Smith was the member for the abolished district of The Hastings.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member John Murphy did not contest the election. Henry Badgery was the member for East Maitland.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (2 new seats)The sitting member David Buchanan had already unsuccessfully contested West Sydney. Samuel Terry was the member for New England and Louis Beyers was the member for the abolished district of Goldfields West.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member Joseph Leary unsuccessfully contested Camden.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Thomas Dangar was the sitting member for The Gwydir.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)The sitting member Samuel Terry successfully contested Mudgee. Henry Copeland was the member for the abolished seat of Goldfields North.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 less seat)The other siting member William Long did not contest the election.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)The Richmond was created from the northern part of The Clarence and Charles Fawcett was the member for The Clarence.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)John Davies was a sitting member for East Sydney.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)Hanley Bennett was the member for the abolished district of Liverpool Plains.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (1 new seat)
The sitting member John Shepherd did not contest the election. Edmund Barton was the member for the abolished district of University of Sydney.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)
The other sitting member James Merriman did not contest the election. David Buchanan was the sitting member for Mudgee and subsequently regained a seat in that district.
| colspan="2" | | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | (new seat)