1968 Higgins by-election

Australian federal by-election

1968 Higgins by-election

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| <- 1966 | 24 February 1968 | 1969 ->

|
|

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The Higgins seat in the House of Representatives
Turnout| 35,158 (84.87%)
|  | First party  | Second party

|
|

|  |
Candidate  | John Gorton | David Bennett
Party  | Liberal | Labor
Popular vote  | 24,067 | 9,601
Percentage  | 69.40%  | 27.69%
Swing  | 6.12  | 2.53

* * *

| MP before election

Harold Holt
Liberal

| Elected MP

John Gorton
Liberal

|

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Higgins on 24 February 1968. It was triggered by the presumed drowning death of the Prime Minister and Liberal Party MP Harold Holt on 17 December 1967.

## Background

[edit]

On 15 January 1968, Speaker William Aston stated that there was conclusive evidence that Holt had died, and that a writ would be issued for the by-election. Senator John Gorton, who had been elected party leader and Prime Minister by his party colleagues on 9 January, was preselected unopposed to run for the Liberal Party on 31 January. The Australian Labor Party nominated David Bennett, a research officer with the Australian Council for Educational Research, whilst the Democratic Labor Party, who had received 11.56% of the vote at the November 1966 election in the seat, opted not to contest the election. The other two candidates were Dr Leonard Webber for the Australia Reform Movement, and a Sydney journalist, Frank Courtis.[1]

Gorton won the by-election for the Liberals with an increased primary vote.

It remains the only time in which a sitting Prime Minister was a candidate in a by-election.

## Results

[edit]

1968 Higgins by-election[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | John Gorton | 24,067  | 69.40  | +6.12
| Labor | David Bennett  | 9,601  | 27.69  | +2.53
| Reform Movement | Leonard Weber  | 662  | 1.91  | +1.91
| Independent | Frank Courtis  | 347  | 1.00  | +1.00
Total formal votes  | 34,677  | 98.63  | +1.39
Informal votes  | 481  | 1.37  | –1.39
Turnout | 35,158  | 84.87  | –9.45
| Liberal hold | Swing | +6.12 |

## See also

[edit]

* 1968 Liberal Party of Australia leadership election
* List of Australian federal by-elections

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hughes, Colin (August 1968). "Australian Political Chronicle: January–April 1968". Australian Journal of Politics and History. 14 (2): 235–236. ISSN 0004-9522.
2. ^ "By-elections 1966-1969". Psephos. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2009.

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By-elections of the 26th Parliament of Australia (1966–1969)

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* Corio
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1968|

* Higgins

1969|

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