1903 East Sydney by-election

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives electorate of East Sydney in New South Wales on 4 September 1903, a Friday. It was triggered by the resignation of George Reid on 18 August 1903. The writ for the by-election was issued on 20 August, nominations for candidates closed on 27 August.

1903 East Sydney by-election

← 1901 18 August 1903 1903 →
The East Sydney seat in the House of Representatives
Registered	13,763
Turnout	2,073 (15.06%)
First party Second party Third party   PROT IND Candidate George Reid William Maguire John Blake Party Free Trade Protectionist Independent Popular vote 1,697 259 96 Percentage 82.70% 12.62% 4.68% Swing 14.67 12.62 4.68
MP before election George Reid Free Trade Elected MP George Reid Free Trade

Background

At the time of his resignation, Reid was the leader of the Free Trade Party and the first Australian Opposition Leader. He resigned in protest on the day that a bill was passed in the parliament regarding the allocation of electoral boundaries for the state of New South Wales.^[1]

Results

East Sydney by-election, 1903^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Free Trade	George Reid	1,697	82.70	+14.67
	Protectionist	William Maguire	259	12.62	+12.62
	Independent	John Blake	96	4.68	+4.68
Total formal votes			2,052	98.99	+2.32
Informal votes			21	1.01	−2.32
Registered electors			13,763
Turnout			2,073	15.06	−46.65
	Free Trade hold		Swing	+14.67

Aftermath

Reid was returned as member for East Sydney with an increased majority. He was the first member of the House of Representatives to resign, and was the only person in federal parliamentary history to win back their own seat in a by-election after resigning until John Alexander did the same at the Bennelong by-election.

References

1. "FEDERAL POLITICS". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 August 1903. p. 7. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
2. Commonwealth By-elections 1901–82. Canberra: Australian Electoral Commission. 1983.

See also

• List of Australian federal by-elections