1885 New South Wales colonial election

{{short description|Colonial election for New South Wales, Australia in 1885}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1885 New South Wales colonial election

| country = New South Wales

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1882 New South Wales colonial election

| previous_year = 1882

| next_election = 1887 New South Wales colonial election

| next_year = 1887

| seats_for_election = All 122 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
62 Assembly seats were needed for a majority

| election_date = 16 October 1885 –
31 October 1885

| image1 = 100px

| leader1 = George Dibbs

| leader_since1 =

| colour1 = 6F94CD

| party1 = Government

| leaders_seat1 = St Leonards

| percentage1 =

| swing1 =

| last_election1 =

| seats1 = 9 Ministers{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13603928 |title=LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=14,867 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=18 November 1885 |accessdate=23 May 2024 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}
58 Supporters{{ref label|members|a}}{{Citation| contribution = Votes| date = 2 December 1885| title = No. 10. VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS of the LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY| volume = 1| pages = 41| place = Sydney, New South Wales| publisher = Parliament of New South Wales}}

| seat_change1 =

| image2 = 100px

| leader2 = Sir John Robertson

| leader_since2 =

| colour2 = F4DEB6

| party2 = Opposition

| leaders_seat2 = Mudgee

| percentage2 =

| swing2 =

| last_election2 =

| seats2 = 11 Oppositionists
56 Against Government{{ref label|members|a}}

| seat_change2 =

| map_image = 1885 New South Wales colonial election.svg

| map_size = 300px

| map_caption = Results of the election, showing winners in each seat. Seats without circles indicate the electorate returned one member. Members are categorised by their vote in a vote of no confidence which took place on 8 December 1885.

| title = Premier

| before_election = George Dibbs

| before_party =

| after_election = George Dibbs

| after_party =

}}

The 1885 New South Wales colonial election was held between 16 October and 31 October 1885. This election was for all of the 122 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and it was conducted in 37 single-member constituencies, 24 2-member constituencies, seven 3-member constituencies and four 4-member constituencies, all with a first past the post system. Suffrage was limited to adult male British subjects, resident in New South Wales. The previous parliament of New South Wales was dissolved on 7 October 1885 by the Governor, Lord Augustus Loftus, on the advice of the Premier, George Dibbs.

There was no recognisable party structure at this election, the last election for which this was the case; instead the government was determined by a loose, shifting factional system. Dibbs had succeeded Alexander Stuart two weeks before the election was held, and maintained a fragile grip on power after the election until 22 December, when he was defeated by Sir John Robertson.