1908 Cape Colony parliamentary election

Elections for the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope were held in Cape Colony in 1908. The South African party led by John X. Merriman defeated the governing Progressive Party under Leander Starr Jameson.[1] These elections would be the last for the Cape Colony, with the National Convention that agreed the constitutional framework for the Union of South Africa beginning later that year.

1908 Cape Colony parliamentary election

← 1904 21 January 1908 (Council)
12–31 March 1908 (House)
1910 →

All 107 seats in the House of Assembly
54 seats needed for a majority
All 26 seats in the Legislative Council
14 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader John X. Merriman Leander Starr Jameson
Party South African Progressive
Seats won 69 (House)
14 (Council)
33 (House)
5 (Council)

Blue - South African Party
Green - Progressive Party

Prime Minister before election

Leander Starr Jameson
Progressive

Elected Prime Minister

John X. Merriman
South African Party

Elections for the Legislative Council were held on 21 January, except for Eastern Province where the election was delayed until 21 February due to the death of a candidate. On 31 January Jameson resigned as Premier after it became clear that the Progressives had lost their majority in the council, which would make governing difficult - even if they could win a majority in the Assembly elections later that year. Merriman was appointed Premier on 3 February, ahead of both the Council election for Eastern Province and the Assembly elections.[2]

Results

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Legislative Council

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PartySeats
South African Party17
Progressive Party8
Independents1
Total26
Source: Smith, pg.69

Legislative Assembly

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PartySeats+/–
South African Party69+27
Progressive Party33–17
Independents5+5
Total107+12
Source: Smith pg.72

References

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  1. ^ John Charrington Smith, Alan (1980). General Elections in the Cape Colony: 1898-1908 (PDF). University of Cape Town.
  2. ^ Smith, pg.69-70