1903 German federal election

Federal elections were held in Germany on 16 June 1903.^[1] Despite the Social Democratic Party (SPD) receiving a clear plurality of votes, the Centre Party remained the largest party in the Reichstag after winning 100 of the 397 seats, whilst the SPD won only 81.^[2] Voter turnout was 76.1%.^[3]

1903 German federal election

← 1898 16 June 1903 (1903-06-16) 1907 →
All 397 seats in the Reichstag 199 seats needed for a majority
Registered	12,531,248 9.53%
Turnout	9,533,814 (76.08%) 8.02pp
First party Second party Third party   Leader Franz von Ballestrem Paul Singer & August Bebel Otto von Manteuffel Party Centre SPD DKP Leader since 1890 18 March 1890 & 21 November 1892 1892 Last election 18.76%, 102 seats 27.18%, 56 seats 10.71%, 53 seats Seats won 100 81 52 Seat change 2 25 1 Popular vote 1,875,292 3,010,771 901,415 Percentage 19.75% 31.71% 9.49% Swing 0.99pp 4.53pp 1.22pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   DRP Leader Ernst Bassermann Eugen Richter Party NlP FVP DRP Leader since 1898 7 May 1893 Last election 12.86%, 48 seats 7.20%, 29 seats 4.35%, 22 seats Seats won 50 21 21 Seat change 2 8 1 Popular vote 1,301,473 536,879 336,617 Percentage 13.71% 5.65% 3.54% Swing 0.85pp 1.55pp 0.81pp
Map of results (by constituencies)
President of the Reichstag before election Franz von Ballestrem Centre President of the Reichstag after election Franz von Ballestrem Centre

Results

81 5 21 8 4 1 16 11 50 3 100 7 5 21 1 52 2 3 6
Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party	3,010,771	31.71	+4.53	81	+25
	Centre Party	1,875,292	19.75	+0.99	100	−2
	National Liberal Party	1,301,473	13.71	+0.85	50	+2
	German Conservative Party	901,415	9.49	−1.22	52	−1
	Free-minded People's Party	536,879	5.65	−1.55	21	−8
	German Reich Party	336,617	3.54	−0.81	21	−1
	Free-minded Union	233,229	2.46	−0.06	8	−4
	Independent Polish	164,742	1.73	−0.45	8	0
	German Agrarian League	145,025	1.53	+0.20	5	−1
	German Reform Party	138,344	1.46	New	6	New
	Alsace-Lorraine parties	126,276	1.33	−0.19	11	0
	Polish People's Party	104,246	1.10	+1.00	5	+5
	German-Hanoverian Party	100,538	1.06	−0.30	7	−2
	German People's Party	82,007	0.86	−0.51	5	−3
	Bavarian Peasants' League	65,815	0.69	−1.00	2	−2
	German Social Party	59,291	0.62	New	3	New
	Other agrarians	45,870	0.48	+0.36	1	1
	Polish National Party	44,175	0.47	New	1	New
	Christian Social Party	40,744	0.43	−0.20	2	+1
	Polish Court Party	34,621	0.36	−0.51	2	−4
	National-Social Group	33,655	0.35	0.00	1	+1
	Alsatian liberals	25,677	0.27	+0.05	2	+1
	Independent conservatives	22,490	0.24	+0.18	1	−2
	Danish Party	14,843	0.16	−0.04	1	0
	Independent liberals	9,808	0.10	−0.50	0	−3
	Alsace Liberal Group	9,166	0.10	+0.07	1	+1
	Middle Class parties	6,909	0.07	+0.03	0	0
	Independent anti-semites	6,474	0.07	−0.23	0	−2
	Lithuanian Party	6,012	0.06	−0.05	0	−1
	Other conservatives	674	0.01	−0.05	0	0
Others		11,884	0.13	−0.05	0	0
Unknown		625	0.01	0.00	0	0
Total		9,495,587	100.00	–	397	0
Valid votes		9,495,587	99.60
Invalid/blank votes		38,227	0.40
Total votes		9,533,814	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		12,531,248	76.08
Source: Wahlen in Deutschland

Alsace-Lorraine

Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Alsace-Lorraine Land Party	69,011	24.44	−4.90	6	0
	Social Democratic Party	68,267	24.17	+1.46	0	−1
	Lorraine independent conservatives	44,884	15.89	+4.68	4	+1
	Alsatian Liberals	25,677	9.09	+1.71	2	+1
	Centre Party	20,034	7.09	New	0	New
	Independent conservatives	12,060	4.27	−1.62	0	−1
	German Reich Party	9,874	3.50	−0.60	1	0
	Alsace Liberal Group	9,166	3.25	+2.32	1	+1
	Alsace-Lorraine protesters	8,163	2.89	+0.17	1	0
	Free-minded Union	7,368	2.61	+2.47	0	0
	Clericals	4,218	1.49	−4.68	0	−1
	National Liberal Party	1,417	0.50	−3.06	0	0
	Independent liberals	1,327	0.47	−2.54	0	0
Others		947	0.34	+0.02	0	0
Total		282,413	100.00	–	15	0
Valid votes		282,413	98.09
Invalid/blank votes		5,501	1.91
Total votes		287,914	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		372,327	77.33
Source: Wahlen in Deutschland

References

1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p762 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p789
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p775