Login
Login

1941 New South Wales state election

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{short description|State election for New South Wales, Australia in May 1941}}

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1941 New South Wales state election

| country = New South Wales

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1938 New South Wales state election

| previous_year = 1938

| next_election = 1944 New South Wales state election

| next_year = 1944

| seats_for_election = All 90 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
46 Assembly seats were needed for a majority

| election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|1941|05|10}}

| image1 = 147px

| leader1 = William McKell

| leader_since1 = 23 September 1939

| party1 = Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)

| leaders_seat1 = Redfern

| percentage1 = 50.8%

| swing1 = {{increase}}12.3{{hsp}}{{efn|name=Ind Lab}}

| last_election1 = 30 seats

| seats1 = 54

| seat_change1 = {{increase}}24

| image2 = 150px

| leader2 = Alexander Mair

| leader_since2 = 5 August 1939

| party2 = UAP/Country coalition

| leaders_seat2 = Albury

| percentage2 = 31.3%

| swing2 = {{decrease}}18.4

| last_election2 = 59 seats

| seats2 = 26

| seat_change2 = {{decrease}}33

| map_image = 1941 New South Wales state election.svg

| map_size = 400px

| map_caption = Two-candidate-preferred margin by electorate

| title = Premier

| before_election = Alexander Mair

| before_party = UAP/Country coalition

| after_election = William McKell

| after_party = Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)

}}

The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33rd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single-member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting.

Background

The replacement of Jack Lang by William McKell as leader of the Labor Party in 1939 reunited and rejuvenated the party. A small number of Labor party members continued to support the far-left-wing State Labor Party (Hughes-Evans) but that had minimal impact on the election results. The Labor Party moved away from Lang's populist, inflationary policies, which were seen as extremist by many voters in the middle ground of the political spectrum. McKell also improved the party's standing in rural electorates by personally selecting well-known local candidates.

By contrast, the internal party divisions and lack of policy direction affecting the United Australia Party (UAP) had resulted in Alexander Mair replacing Bertram Stevens as leader of the UAP and Premier in August 1939. The problems continued in the period prior to the election and throughout the course of the new parliament. These divisions were reflected federally in the forced resignation of Robert Menzies as the Prime Minister in August 1941, and the UAP disintegrated at a state level in 1943. The remnants of the UAP combined with the newly formed Commonwealth Party to form the Democratic Party in that year. Mair remained Leader of the Opposition until 10 February 1944 when he was replaced by Reginald Weaver.

The result of the election was a landslide victory for the Labor Party:

The Labor Party government of McKell had a majority of 18 and McKell remained Premier throughout the term of the Parliament. The Labor Party won two further seats from the Country Party at by-elections during the parliament. Jack Lang was expelled from the Labor Party in 1943, having persistently attacked the governments of McKell and Australian Prime minister John Curtin. Lang remained in parliament as the sole representative of Lang Labor.

This would be the first of NSW Labor's eight consecutive election victories.

Key dates

class="wikitable"
Date

! Event

18 April 1941

| The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.

22 April 1941

| Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon.

10 May 1941

| Polling day.

16 May 1941

| First McKell Ministry sworn in.

17 June 1941

| Last day for the writs to be returned and the results formally declared.

28 May 1941

| Opening of 33rd Parliament.

Results

{{Main|Results of the 1941 New South Wales state election}}

{{Australian elections/Title row

| table style = float:right;clear:right;margin-left:1em;

| title = New South Wales state election, 10 May 1941

| house = Legislative Assembly

| series = New South Wales state election

| back = 1938

| forward = 1944

| enrolled = 1,684,781{{efn|There were 1,540,974 enrolled voters in contested electorates and 143,807 were enrolled in 7 uncontested electorates (four UAP and three Labor).{{cite web |first=Antony |last=Green |author-link=Antony Green |title=1941 election totals |url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/electionresults18562007/1941/Totals.htm |work=New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007 |publisher=Parliament of New South Wales |access-date=9 August 2019}}}}

| total_votes = 1,389,896

| turnout % = 92.52

| turnout chg = −3.27

| informal = 35,858

| informal % = 2.52

| informal chg = −0.13

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|government = yes

|party_id = Labor NSW

|votes = 706,014

|votes % = 50.80

|votes chg = +12.28{{hsp}}{{efn|name=Ind Lab|{{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}} swing includes {{Australian politics/name|Industrial Labor}} which was readmitted into Labor in August 1939.}}

|seats = 54

|seats chg = + 24

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = UAP

|votes = 281,982

|votes % = 20.29

|votes chg = –15.57

|seats = 14

|seats chg = –23

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = Country NSW

|votes = 153,639

|votes % = 11.05

|votes chg = –2.81

|seats = 12

|seats chg = –10

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = State Labor

|votes = 78,363

|votes % = 5.64

|votes chg = +5.64

|seats = 0

|seats chg = ±0

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = Independent UAP

|votes = 45,195

|votes % = 3.25

|votes chg = +3.25

|seats = 5

|seats chg = +5

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = Independent Labor NSW

|votes = 29,677

|votes % = 2.14

|votes chg = +2.14

|seats = 1

|seats chg = +1

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = New Social Order

|votes = 8,906

|votes % = 0.64

|votes chg = +0.64

|seats = 0

|seats chg = ±0

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = Independent Coalition

|votes = 925

|votes % = 0.07

|votes chg = +0.07

|seats = 0

|seats chg = ±0

}}

{{Australian elections/Party summary|

|party_id = Independent

|votes = 85,195

|votes % = 6.13

|votes chg = –4.75

|seats = 4

|seats chg = +3

}}

{{Australian elections/Total row |

|total_votes = 1,389,896

|total_seats = 90

}}

|}

{{bar box|title=Popular vote|titlebar=#ddd|width=495px|barwidth=650px|bars={{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)}}|50.80}}

{{bar percent|United|{{party color|United Australia Party}}|20.29}}

{{bar percent|Country|{{party color|Country Party}}|11.05}}

{{bar percent|State Labor|#800000|5.64}}

{{bar percent|Independent UAP|#888888|3.25}}

{{bar percent|Independent Labor|#888888|2.14}}

{{bar percent|Independents|#888888|6.13}}

{{ bar box break | titlebar=#ddd | title=Parliamentary seats }}

{{bar percent|Labor|{{party color|Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)}}|60.00|54}}

{{bar percent|United|{{party color|United Australia Party}}|15.56|14}}

{{bar percent|Country|{{party color|Country Party}}|13.33|12}}

{{bar percent|State Labor|#800000|0|0}}

{{bar percent|Independent UAPs|#888888|5.56|5}}

{{bar percent|Independent Labor|#888888|1.11|1}}

{{bar percent|Independents|#888888|4.44|4}}}}

Retiring members

{{Excerpt|Candidates of the 1941 New South Wales state election|section=Retiring members|subsections=yes}}

Changing seats

class="wikitable sortable"

! colspan="7" |Seats changing hands

rowspan="2" |Seat

! colspan="3" |1938

! colspan="3" |1941

colspan="2" |Party

! Member

! Member

! colspan="2" |Party

Arncliffe

| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| {{sortname|Joseph|Cahill}}

| colspan="3" | District abolished

Ashburnham

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Hilton|Elliott}}

| {{sortname|Edgar|Dring}}

| rowspan="4" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="4" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Electoral district of Barwon ({{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}) resigned and the resulting by-election was won by Roy Heferen ({{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}) who retained the seat at this election.}}]]

|

| {{sortname|Roy|Heferen}}

Blacktown

| colspan="3" |New district

| {{sortname|Frank|Hill|dab=Australian politician}}

Bondi

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Norman|Thomas|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|Abe|Landa}}

Burwood

| {{sortname|Harrie|Mitchell}}

| {{sortname|Gordon|Jackett}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent UAP}}

| {{Australian party style|Independent UAP}} | 

Castlereagh

| {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Alfred|Yeo|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|Jack|Renshaw}}

| rowspan="4" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="4" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Concord

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Stan|Lloyd|dab=politician}}

| {{sortname|Bill|Carlton}}

Cook's River

| colspan="3" | New district

| {{sortname|Joseph|Cahill}}

Coogee

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Thomas|Mutch}}

| {{sortname|Lou|Cunningham}}

Cootamundra

| {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Bill|Ross|dab=Australian politician}}

| colspan="3" | District abolished

Dulwich Hill

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Guy|Arkins}}

| {{sortname|George|Weir|George Weir (Australian politician)}}

| rowspan="4" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="4" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Drummoyne

| {{sortname|John|Lee|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|Robert|Greig|dab=politician}}

Dulwich Hill

| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| {{sortname|Guy|Arkins}}

| {{sortname|George|Weir|George Weir (Australian politician)}}

Georges River

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Cecil|Monro}}

| {{sortname|Arthur|Williams|dab=Australian politician}}

Glebe

| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| {{sortname|Bill|Carlton}}

| colspan="3" | District abolished

Gloucester

| rowspan="5" {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| rowspan="5" | {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Charles|Bennett|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|Ray|Fitzgerald|dab=politician}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent}}

| {{Australian party style|Independent}} | 

Hawkesbury

| {{sortname|Bruce|Walker|dab=politician, born 1897}}

| {{sortname|Frank|Finnan}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Hornsby

| {{sortname|James|Shand}}

| {{sortname|Sydney|Storey}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent UAP}}

| {{Australian party style|Independent UAP}} | 

Hurstville{{Hsp}}{{efn|James Webb ({{Australian politics/name|UAP}}) died and Clive Evatt ({{Australian politics/name|Industrial Labor}}) won the resulting by-election, retaining the seat as a {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}} candidate.}}

|

| Clive Evatt

| rowspan="4" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="4" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Kogarah

| {{sortname|James|Ross|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|William|Currey}}

Liverpool Plains

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Harry|Carter|dab=politician}}

| {{sortname|Roger|Nott}}

Monaro

| {{sortname|William|Hedges|dab=New South Wales politician}}

| {{sortname|John|Seiffert}}

Mosman

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Herbert|Lloyd}}

| {{sortname|Donald|Macdonald|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent UAP}}

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Independent UAP}} | 

Murrumbidgee

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Robert|Hankinson}}{{Hsp}}{{Efn|Retired.|name=retired}}

| {{sortname|George|Enticknap}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent Labor NSW}}

Namoi

| {{sortname|Colin|Sinclair|dab=politician}}{{Hsp}}{{Efn|name=retired}}

| {{sortname|Raymond|Hamilton|dab=politician}}

| rowspan="3" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="3" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

North Sydney

| rowspan="5" {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| rowspan="5" | {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|Hubert|Primrose}}

| {{sortname|James|Geraghty}}

Orange

| {{sortname|Alwyn|Tonking}}

| {{sortname|Bob|O'Halloran}}

Oxley

| {{sortname|Lewis|Martin|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{sortname|George|Mitchell|dab=Australian politician}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent}}

| {{Australian party style|Independent}} | 

Petersham

| {{sortname|Eric|Solomon}}

| colspan="3" | District abolished

Randwick

| {{sortname|Arthur|Moverly}}

| {{sortname|William|Gollan}}

| rowspan="2" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="2" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Rockdale

| colspan="3" |New district

| {{sortname|John|McGrath|dab=New South Wales politician}}

Ryde{{Hsp}}{{efn|Eric Spooner ({{Australian politics/name|UAP}}) resigned and Arthur Williams ({{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}) won the resulting by-election, but after the re-distribution Labor did not field a candidate.}}

| rowspan="3" {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| rowspan="3" | {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

|

| {{sortname|James|Shand}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent UAP}}

| rowspan="3" {{Australian party style|Independent UAP}} | 

South Coast

| {{sortname|Henry|Bate|dab=politician}}

| {{sortname|Rupert|Beale}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent}}

Electoral district of Tamworth ({{Australian politics/name|UAP}}) died. His son Bill Chaffey won the resulting by-election as a UAP candidate however declined UAP endorsement for the 1941 election on the basis his support came from the Country Party as well as the UAP.}}]]

|

| {{sortname|Bill|Chaffey}}

| {{Australian politics/name|Independent UAP}}

Wagga Wagga

| {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Matthew|Kilpatrick}}

| {{sortname|Eddie|Graham|dab=politician}}

| rowspan="5" | {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}}

| rowspan="5" {{Australian party style|Labor NSW}} | 

Electoral district of Waverley ({{Australian politics/name|UAP}}) died and Clarrie Martin ({{Australian politics/name|Industrial Labor}}) won the resulting by-election, retaining the seat as a {{Australian politics/name|Labor NSW}} candidate.}}]]

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

|

| {{sortname|Clarrie|Martin}}

Wollongong-Kembla

| colspan="3" |New district

| {{sortname|Billy|Davies|dab=politician}}

Yass

| {{Australian party style|UAP}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|UAP}}

| {{sortname|George|Ardill}}

| {{sortname|Bill|Sheahan|dab=politician}}

Young

| {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | 

| {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}}

| {{sortname|Albert|Reid}}

| {{sortname|Fred|Cahill}}

See also

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

  • {{cite book|author=Nairn, Bede|year=1995|title=Jack Lang the 'Big Fella': Jack Lang and the Australian Labor Party 1891-1949|publisher=Melbourne University Press|location=Melbourne|ISBN=9780522843293|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/bigfellajacklang0000nair}}

{{New South Wales elections}}

Category:Elections in New South Wales

New South Wales state election

Category:1940s in New South Wales

New South Wales state election