1897 Western Australian colonial election

Elections were held in the state of Western Australia between 27 April and 26 May 1897 to elect 44 members to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. The Ministerialist group led by John Forrest won a third term in office as a result of the elections. The poll took place based on boundaries established in the Constitution Act Amendment Act 1896, which increased the number of members from 33 mainly by adding new seats in the Goldfields region, and had been called a year earlier than was necessary.^[1] In 18 of the 44 seats, only one candidate nominated and polls were not held.

1897 Western Australian colonial election

← 1894 27 April – 26 May 1897 1901 →
All 44 seats in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
First party Second party   Leader John Forrest George Leake Party Ministerialist Oppositionist Leader since 22 December 1890 1895 Leader's seat Bunbury Albany Last election 19 seats 13 seats Seats won 29 seats 8 seats Seat change 10 5 Percentage 49.80% 27.35%
Winning party by electorate
Premier before election John Forrest Ministerialist Elected Premier John Forrest Ministerialist

As payment of members was not introduced until 1900, the Political Labour Party, formed in 1896, had found it difficult to attract candidates who could afford to enter Parliament, but three of its candidates ran for election, and Charles Oldham, a former president of the Trades and Labor Council, became the first Labour member of Parliament in Western Australia.

Results

See also: Results of the Western Australian colonial election, 1897

Western Australian state election, 1897 Legislative Assembly
Enrolled voters		17,114[1]
Votes cast		9,016		Turnout	52.68%
Informal votes		279		Informal	3.09%
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Ministerialist	4,351	49.80%		29[1]	+ 10
	Opposition	2,390	27.35%		8	– 5
	Independent	1,613	18.46%		6	+ 5
	Labor	383	4.38%	+4.38%	1	+ 1
Total		8,737			44

Notes:

¹ The Ministerialists' total of 29 seats includes 16 which were uncontested, representing 4,297 of the 23,318 enrolled voters. A further two seats, won by George Leake (Albany, Oppositionist) and Elias Solomon (South Fremantle, Independent) representing 1,907 enrolled voters were also uncontested.

See also

• Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1894–1897
• Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, 1897–1901

References

1. de Garis, Brian (1991). "Self-Government and Political Parties". In Black, David (ed.). The house on the hill: A history of the Parliament of Western Australia 1832-1990. West Perth: Parliament of Western Australia. pp. 73–74. ISBN 0-7309-3983-9.