1920 Victorian state election explained

The 1920 Victorian state election was held in the Australian state of Victoria on Thursday 21 October 1920 to elect the 65 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Background

The Nationalist party had reunited after the 1917 election in which the Nationalist members supporting John Bowser defeated those supporting the former premier Alexander Peacock over his decision to increase country rail fares, and formed a majority government with 40 members. Bowser resigned as premier in March 1918, having little taste for the office, and was replaced by Peacock supporter Harry Lawson.

Meanwhile, in rural Victoria, the Victorian Farmers' Union had been gathering support and was looking to gain more seats from the Nationalists in these regions. This election would be their debut as a major force in Victorian politics where neither the Nationalists and their successors or Labor could form government without their support (or that of their successors, the Country Party) until 1952.

Results

Legislative Assembly

See also: Results of the 1920 Victorian state election (Legislative Assembly).

|}Notes:

• Eleven seats were uncontested at this election, and were retained by the incumbent parties:
  • Nationalist (3): Allandale, Gippsland West, Ovens
  • Labor (7): Abbotsford, Carlton, Flemington, Port Fairy, Richmond, Warrenheip, Williamstown
  • VFU (1): Wangaratta

See also

• Candidates of the 1920 Victorian state election
• Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1920–1921
• 1919 Victorian Legislative Council election

Notes and References

1. Colin A Hughes, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968 .