1968 Higgins by-election
24 February 1968
The Higgins seat in the House of Representatives
Turnout35,158 (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 Increase6.12 Increase2.53
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

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

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

References

  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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