1939 Griffith by-election

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|  | 20 May 1939 |

|
|

|  | First party  | Second party  | Third party

|
|
|

|  |

UAP

PLP

Candidate  | William Conelan | Peter McCowan  | Everett Graham
Party  | Labor | United Australia | Protestant Labour
Popular vote  | 22,967 | 17,168  | 15,437
Percentage  | 41.3% | 30.9  | 27.8%
Swing  | 7.0pp  | 10.3pp  | 27.8pp
TPP | 50.0% | 50.0%  |
TPP swing  | 0.3pp  | 0.3pp  |

* * *

| MP before election

Frank Baker
Labor

| Elected MP

William Conelan
Labor

|

Conelan table and supporters for the election

McCowan table and supporters for the election

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Griffith on 20 May 1939. This was triggered by the death of Labor Party MP Frank Baker.

The election was won by Labor candidate William Conelan by eight votes.

Immediately after Baker's death, there was some speculation that Queensland premier, William Forgan Smith would contest the by-election.[1]

## Results

[edit]

Griffith by-election, 1939[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|

| Labor | William Conelan | 22,967  | 41.3  | -7.0
| United Australia | Peter McCowan  | 17,168  | 30.9  | -10.3
| Protestant Labor | Everett Graham  | 15,437  | 27.8  | +27.8
Total formal votes  | 55,572  | 98.2  |
Informal votes  | 1,025  | 1.8  |
Turnout | 56,597  | 91.6  | −5.8
Two-party-preferred result
| Labor | William Conelan | 27,790  | 50.0  | -0.3
| United Australia | Peter McCowan  | 27,782  | 50.0  | +0.3
| Labor hold | Swing | -0.3 |

## See also

[edit]

* List of Australian federal by-elections

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mr. Baker M.P. - His death mourned". The Canberra Times. 30 March 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
2. ^ "By-Elections 1937-1940". Psephos. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008.

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