Electoral results for the Division of East Sydney

For the former New South Wales state electorate, see Electoral results for the district of East Sydney.

This is a list of electoral results for the Division of East Sydney in Australian federal elections from the division's creation in 1901 until its abolition in 1969.

Members

Member		Party	Term
	George Reid	Free Trade, Anti-Socialist	1901–1909
		Liberal	1909–1910
	John West	Labor	1910–1931
	Eddie Ward	Labor (NSW)	1931 by–1931
	John Clasby	United Australia	1931–1932
	Eddie Ward	Labor (NSW)	1932 by–1936
		Labor	1936–1963
	Len Devine	Labor	1963 by–1969

Election results

Elections in the 1960s

1966

1966 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Len Devine	15,004	52.9	−8.3
	Liberal	William Berman	10,636	37.5	+4.4
	Democratic Labor	Mel Antcliff	1,807	6.4	+6.4
	Communist	Bill Brown	940	3.3	−2.4
Total formal votes			28,387	94.3
Informal votes			1,731	5.7
Turnout			30,118	90.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Len Devine		57.0	−9.4
	Liberal	William Berman		43.0	+9.4
	Labor hold		Swing	−9.4

1963

1963 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Len Devine	19,779	61.2	−6.6
	Liberal	William Foster	10,711	33.1	+11.1
	Communist	Bill Brown	1,827	5.7	+2.5
Total formal votes			32,317	97.3
Informal votes			885	2.7
Turnout			33,202	91.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Len Devine		66.4	−5.5
	Liberal	William Foster		33.6	+5.5
	Labor hold		Swing	−5.5

1963 by-election

This section is an excerpt from 1963 East Sydney by-election § Results.[edit]

East Sydney by-election, 1963

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Len Devine	19,704	80.7	+12.9
	Independent Liberal	Vernon Luckman	2,233	9.1	+9.1
	Independent	Leslie Bond	1,224	5.0	+5.0
	Property Owners	Hazen Cook	699	2.9	+2.9
	Republican	John Phillips	546	2.2	+2.2
Total formal votes			24,406	94.9
Informal votes			1,305	5.1
Turnout			25,711	71.9
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Len Devine		85.1	+13.2
	Independent Liberal	Vernon Luckman		14.9	+14.9
	Labor hold		Swing	+13.2

1961

1961 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	21,999	67.8	+4.6
	Liberal	John Folbigg	7,137	22.0	−0.8
	Democratic Labor	Joseph Bergin	2,276	7.0	+0.6
	Communist	Bill Brown	1,030	3.2	−4.4
Total formal votes			32,442	96.3
Informal votes			1,247	3.7
Turnout			33,689	91.9
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		71.9	+1.5
	Liberal	John Folbigg		28.1	−1.5
	Labor hold		Swing	+1.5

Elections in the 1950s

1958

1958 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	22,377	63.2	−0.4
	Liberal	Derek Montefiore-Castle	8,059	22.8	−5.2
	Communist	Eddie Maher	2,703	7.6	−0.7
	Democratic Labor	Mervyn Reid	2,283	6.4	+6.4
Total formal votes			35,422	95.6
Informal votes			1,633	4.4
Turnout			37,055	91.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		70.4	+0.2
	Liberal	Derek Montefiore-Castle		29.6	−0.2
	Labor hold		Swing	+0.2

1955

1955 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	24,859	63.6	−3.4
	Liberal	Joseph Landor	10,953	28.0	−0.4
	Communist	Bill Brown	3,251	8.3	+3.7
Total formal votes			39,063	96.0
Informal votes			1,642	4.0
Turnout			40,705	92.2
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		70.2	−0.9
	Liberal	Joseph Landor		29.8	+0.9
	Labor hold		Swing	−0.9

1954

1954 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	19,282	58.0	+3.1
	Liberal	George Chambers	12,068	36.3	−8.8
	Communist	Bill Brown	1,904	5.7	+5.7
Total formal votes			33,254	98.2
Informal votes			600	1.8
Turnout			33,854	94.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		62.2	+7.3
	Liberal	George Chambers		37.8	−7.3
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.3

1951

1951 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	20,379	54.9	−2.1
	Liberal	Allan Stewart	16,767	45.1	+6.1
Total formal votes			37,146	97.5
Informal votes			961	2.5
Turnout			38,107	94.2
	Labor hold		Swing	−3.1

Elections in the 1940s

1949

1949 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	22,496	57.0	−4.8
	Liberal	John Mant	15,398	39.0	+5.9
	Independent	William Dalton	1,552	3.9	+3.9
Total formal votes			39,446	97.5
Informal votes			1,015	2.5
Turnout			40,461	95.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		58.0	−6.3
	Liberal	John Mant		42.0	+6.3
	Labor hold		Swing	−6.3

1946

1946 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	37,863	65.5	−3.5
	Liberal	Ivan Dougherty	16,348	28.3	+4.8
	Protestant People	Wal Campbell	3,578	6.2	+6.2
Total formal votes			57,789	97.1
Informal votes			1,716	2.9
Turnout			59,505	92.0
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		67.6	−3.4
	Liberal	Ivan Dougherty		32.4	+3.4
	Labor hold		Swing	−3.4

1943

1943 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	36,531	69.0	+19.9
	United Australia	Vincent Brady	12,430	23.5	−7.0
	Liberal Democratic	Hugh Angrave	2,377	4.5	+4.5
	One Parliament	Ernest Carr	1,141	2.2	+2.2
	Independent	Arthur Shirley	494	0.9	+0.9
Total formal votes			52,973	96.4
Informal votes			1,967	3.6
Turnout			54,940	94.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		71.0	+4.9
	United Australia	Vincent Brady		29.0	−4.9
	Labor hold		Swing	+4.9

1940

1940 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	23,685	49.1	−6.9
	United Australia	Lewis Nott	12,211	25.3	−9.7
	Labor (N-C)	Steve Gould	5,547	11.5	+11.5
	United Australia	James Catts	2,508	5.2	+5.2
	Independent	Fred Aarons	2,264	4.7	+4.7
	Independent	Diana Gould	1,867	3.9	+3.9
	Atokist	Louis Phillips	187	0.4	+0.4
Total formal votes			48,269	95.3
Informal votes			2,386	4.7
Turnout			50,655	90.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		66.1	+8.1
	United Australia	Lewis Nott		33.9	−8.1
	Labor hold		Swing	+8.1

Elections in the 1930s

1937

1937 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	28,484	56.0	+51.3
	United Australia	Arthur Butterell	20,429	40.2	−2.1
	Independent	Thomas Grant	1,603	3.2	+3.2
	Independent	Louis Phillips	348	0.7	+0.7
Total formal votes			50,864	97.0
Informal votes			1,587	3.0
Turnout			52,451	93.7
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		58.0	+58.0
	United Australia	Arthur Butterell		42.0	−2.1
	Labor gain from Labor (NSW)		Swing	+2.1

1934

1934 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward	25,567	49.9	+3.9
	United Australia	Arthur Butterell	21,686	42.3	+1.2
	Labor	George Laughlan	2,400	4.7	−8.2
	Communist	Bill McDougall	1,592	3.1	+3.1
Total formal votes			51,245	96.1
Informal votes			2,070	3.9
Turnout			53,315	92.0
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward		55.9	+0.2
	United Australia	Arthur Butterell		44.1	−0.2
	Labor (NSW) hold		Swing	+0.2

1932 by-election

This section is an excerpt from 1932 East Sydney by-election § Results.[edit]

East Sydney by-election, 1932

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward	17,461	47.0	+4.6
	United Australia	William McCall	16,304	43.9	−0.3
	Labor	Lou Cunningham	2,817	7.6	−5.7
	Communist	Jack Miles	597	1.6	+1.6
Total formal votes			37,179	97.3
Informal votes			1,018	2.7
Turnout			38,197	85.6
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward	18,676	50.2	+1.9
	United Australia	William McCall	18,503	49.8	−1.9
	Labor (NSW) gain from United Australia		Swing	+1.9

1931

1931 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	United Australia	John Clasby	16,977	44.2	+12.6
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward	16,291	42.4	+42.4
	Labor	George Buckland	5,112	13.3	−55.1
Total formal votes			38,380	96.2
Informal votes			1,514	3.8
Turnout			39,894	91.7
Two-party-preferred result
	United Australia	John Clasby	19,831	51.7	+11.7
	Labor (NSW)	Eddie Ward	18,549	48.3	−11.7
	United Australia gain from Labor		Swing	+11.7

1931 by-election

This section is an excerpt from 1931 East Sydney by-election § Results.[edit]

East Sydney by-election, 1931

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Eddie Ward	19,975	54.1	−14.3
	Nationalist	Lionel Courtenay	16,333	44.2	+12.6
	Communist	Bill Mountjoy	611	1.7	+1.7
Total formal votes			36,919	97.2
Informal votes			1,068	2.8
Turnout			37,987	81.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Eddie Ward		55.7	−14.3
	Nationalist	Lionel Courtenay		44.3	+14.3
	Labor hold		Swing	−14.3

Elections in the 1920s

1929

1929 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	25,105	68.4	+10.0
	Nationalist	Hyman Diamond	11,583	31.6	−10.0
Total formal votes			36,688	96.2
Informal votes			1,451	3.8
Turnout			38,139	89.1
	Labor hold		Swing	+10.0

1928

1928 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	19,651	58.4	+4.6
	Nationalist	Julian Simpson	13,994	41.6	−4.6
Total formal votes			33,645	94.8
Informal votes			1,852	5.2
Turnout			35,497	87.9
	Labor hold		Swing	+4.6

1925

1925 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	18,822	53.8	−5.3
	Nationalist	Richard Orchard	16,169	46.2	+5.3
Total formal votes			34,991	98.0
Informal votes			729	2.0
Turnout			35,720	85.6
	Labor hold		Swing	−5.3

1922

1922 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	10,885	59.1	+1.3
	Nationalist	Sir Benjamin Fuller	7,518	40.9	−1.3
Total formal votes			18,403	95.8
Informal votes			801	4.2
Turnout			19,204	47.3
	Labor hold		Swing	+1.3

Elections in the 1910s

1919

1919 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	12,751	57.8	−42.2
	Nationalist	John Willson	9,327	42.2	+42.2
Total formal votes			22,078	97.3
Informal votes			617	2.7
Turnout			22,695	58.1
	Labor hold		Swing	−42.2

1917

1917 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

1914

1914 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	12,831	57.3	+1.2
	Liberal	Lindsay Thompson	9,568	42.7	−1.2
Total formal votes			22,399	96.8
Informal votes			736	3.2
Turnout			23,135	51.1
	Labor hold		Swing	+1.2

1913

1913 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John West	14,174	56.1	−0.1
	Liberal	John Willson	11,077	43.9	+0.1
Total formal votes			25,251	97.2
Informal votes			733	2.8
Turnout			25,984	58.0
	Labor hold		Swing	−0.1

1910

1910 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John West	10,487	57.1	+12.0
	Liberal	Samuel Lees	7,890	42.9	−12.0
Total formal votes			18,377	99.0
Informal votes			181	1.0
Turnout			18,558	58.9
	Labour gain from Liberal		Swing	+12.0

Elections in the 1900s

1906

1906 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Anti-Socialist	George Reid	7,229	54.9	−6.4
	Labour	John West	5,936	45.1	+12.5
Total formal votes			13,165	98.0
Informal votes			275	2.0
Turnout			13,440	49.0
	Anti-Socialist hold		Swing	−9.5

1903

1903 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Free Trade	George Reid	8,103	61.3	−6.7
	Labour	Thomas Thrower	4,308	32.6	+32.6
	Protectionist	Robert Peel	799	6.1	+6.1
Total formal votes			13,210	97.3
Informal votes			362	2.7
Turnout			13,572	38.8
	Free Trade hold		Swing	−7.9

1903 by-election

This section is an excerpt from 1903 East Sydney by-election § Results.[edit]

East Sydney by-election, 1903

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Free Trade	George Reid	1,697	82.70	+14.67
	Protectionist	William Maguire	259	12.62	+12.62
	Independent	John Blake	96	4.68	+4.68
Total formal votes			2,052	98.99	+2.32
Informal votes			21	1.01	−2.32
Registered electors			13,763
Turnout			2,073	15.06	−46.65
	Free Trade hold		Swing	+14.67

1901

1901 Australian federal election: East Sydney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Free Trade	George Reid	6,191	68.0	+68.0
	Ind. Protectionist	Harry Foran	2,139	23.5	+23.5
	Ind. Protectionist	John Cleary	517	5.7	+5.7
	Independent	James Toomey	253	2.8	+2.8
Total formal votes			9,100	96.7
Informal votes			313	3.3
Turnout			9,413	61.7
	Free Trade win		(new seat)

References

• Australian Electoral Commission. Federal election results
• Carr, Adam. Psephos