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1966 Australian Senate election

(Redirected from Results of the 1966 Australian federal election (Senate))
See also: 1966 Australian federal election

Special Senate elections were held on 26 November 1966 to elect members to fill casual vacancies in the Australian Senate for the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

1966 Australian Senate election
← 1964 26 November 1966 1967 →
6 of the 54 seats in the Senate
27 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Denham Henty Don Willesee Vince Gair
Party Coalition Labor DLP
Leader's seat Tasmania Western Australia Queensland
Seats before 30 27 2
Seats won 4 2 0
Seats after 29 28 2
Seat change Decrease1 Increase1 Steady
Popular vote 2,406,768 1,897,049 421,959
Percentage 50.04% 39.45% 8.77%
Swing Increase4.30pp Decrease5.21pp Increase0.38pp

Prior to 29 July 1977, the filing of casual vacancies was complex. While senators were elected for a six-year term, people appointed to a casual vacancy only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate, at which the vacancy would be filled by the electors of the relevant state.[1]

This was one of the few occasions in which there was a special election for the Senate, as the House of Representatives and Senate elections had got out of synchronisation as a result of Robert Menzies calling an early House-only election in 1963.

Because of the loss of a seat in Western Australia, the Coalition held less than half of the seats in the chamber; the Democratic Labor Party and independent senator Reg Turnbull held the balance of power.

Australia

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Senate (STV) — 1966—Turnout 95.05% (CV) — Informal 5.34%
Party Votes % Swing Seats won Seats held Change
    Liberal 1,645,319 34.21 3 22   1
  Country 761,449 15.83 1 7  
Coalition total 2,406,768 50.040 4 29   1
  Labor 1,897,049 39.45 2 28  1
  Democratic Labor 421,959 8.77 − 2  
  Liberal Reform Group 43,716 0.91
  Independent 39,799 0.83 1  
  Total 4,809,291     6 54

New South Wales

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1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, New South Wales[2]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 1,046,934
Liberal Bob Cotton (re-elected 1) 1,056,968 50.48
Labor Clive Evatt 908,763 43.40
Democratic Labor Gwynydd Meredith 128,136 6.12
Total formal votes 2,093,867 95.75
Informal votes 92,949 4.25
Turnout 2,186,816 94.72


Queensland

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1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Queensland[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 417,438
Liberal Bill Heatley (re-elected) 426,726 51.11
Labor Bertie Milliner 328,289 39.32
Democratic Labor Rogers Judge 62,870 7.53
Independent Ian Kent 16,989 2.03
Total formal votes 834,874 97.32
Informal votes 22,956 2.68
Turnout 857,830 95.26

Victoria

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1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Victoria[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 593,218
Country 1. James Webster (re-elected 1)
2. Lloyd Atkin 		761,449 50.26
Labor 1. George Poyser (re-elected 2)
2. Giuseppe Di Salvo 		507,188 33.48
Democratic Labor 1. Jack Little
2. Frank Dowling 		190,681 12.59
Liberal Reform Group 1. Edwin Ryan 43,716 2.89
Independent 1. Kenneth Nolan
2. Laurence Hoult 		11,933 0.79
Total formal votes 4,152,524 95.83
Informal votes 180,743 4.17
Turnout 4,333,267 93.98

Western Australia

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1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Western Australia[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 121,862
Liberal 1. Peter Sim (re-elected 1)
2. Reg Withers (defeated)
3. Victor Garland 		161,625 44.21
Labor 1. Laurie Wilkinson (elected 2)
2. John Henshaw 		152,809 41.80
Democratic Labor 1. Mark Briffa
2. Lydia Obbes 		40,272 11.02
Independent 1. Frederick Simpson
2. John Huelin 		10,877 2.98
Total formal votes 365,583 89.26
Informal votes 43,987 10.74
Turnout 409,570 94.57

Changing seats

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State 1963 election Appointment 1966 Election
Party Member Term Party Member Date Member Party
New South Wales   Liberal Bill Spooner 1963-1968   Liberal Bob Cotton 4 August 1965 Bob Cotton Liberal  
Victoria   Labor Charles Sandford 1963-1968   Labor George Poyser 26 October 1966 George Poyser Labor  
  Country Harrie Wade 1963-1968   Country James Webster 9 December 1964 James Webster Country  
Queensland   Liberal Bob Sherrington 1963-1968   Liberal Bill Heatley 14 April 1966 Bill Heatley Liberal  
Western Australia   Liberal Sir Shane Paltridge 1963-1968   Liberal Reg Withers 17 February 1966 Laurie Wilkinson Labor  
  Liberal Seddon Vincent 1963-1968   Liberal Peter Sim 26 November 1964 Peter Sim Liberal  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Evans, H. "Filling Casual Vacancies before 1977, Volume 3" (PDF). The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  2. ^ Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: New South Wales". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  3. ^ Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Queensland". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  4. ^ Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Victoria". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  5. ^ Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Western Australia". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
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