1896 South Australian colonial election

The 1896 South Australian colonial election was held between 25 April and 2 May 1896 to elect members to the 15th Parliament of South Australia. All 54 seats in the House of Assembly (the lower house, whose members were elected at the 1893 election) were up for re-election. It was the first election in Australia in which women could vote, following the passing of the Constitutional Amendment (Adult Suffrage) Act 1894 two years prior.

1896 South Australian colonial election

← 1893 25 April – 2 May 1896 1899 →
← outgoing members elected members →
All 54 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly (28 seats needed for a majority)
Registered	137,747
Turnout	66.3% ( 1.3 pp)
First party Second party Third party   IND NDL Leader N/A Unknown John McPherson Party Independent National Defence United Labor Leader since N/A N/A 23 February 1892 (1892-02-23) Leader's seat N/A N/A East Adelaide Last election 26 seats 18 seats 10 seats Seats before 22 22 10 Seats won 24 18 12 Seat change 2 4 2 Popular vote 72,676 49,200 39,107 Percentage 45.2% 30.6% 24.3% Swing 13.8 pp 8.4 pp 5.5 pp
Premier before election Charles Kingston Elected Premier Charles Kingston

The election used non-compulsory plurality block voting, in which electors voted for as many candidates as they wished. Members of the House of Assembly were elected to 27 multi-member districts consisting of two seats each. Suffrage extended to all persons (including Aboriginals) over 21 years of age, unless they were "attainted or convicted of treason or felony".

Background

The period after the 1893 election saw an increasing competition between the two new political parties – the ULP and the conservative National Defence League (NDL). It also reflected a trend for the conservative members to gravitate to the NDL, and the progressive members to support Kingston, a strong advocate of progressive social policy and reform of the Legislative Council. There was no formal "Liberal" or "Kingston" party, but there was a relatively cohesive Kingston group among both independent members and candidates. The Liberal and Democratic Union would not be formed until the 1906 election.

The election was held concurrently with the first referendum in Australia.

Women's suffrage in Australia took a leap forward – enacted in 1895 and taking effect from this election, South Australia was the first in Australia and only the second in the world after New Zealand to allow women to vote, and the first in the world to allow women to stand for election. However, the first female would not be elected to the Parliament of South Australia until the 1959 election when Jessie Cooper and Joyce Steele were elected for the Liberal and Country League, and the 1965 election for Labor with Molly Byrne.

Results

House of Assembly (BV) – Turnout 66.3% (Non-CV)

Party			Votes			Seats
			Votes	%	Swing (pp)	Seats	Change
	Independent		72,676	45.2	–13.8	24	2
	National Defence		49,200	30.6	+8.4	18	4
	United Labor		39,107	24.3	+5.5	12	2
Total			160,983	100.0	–	54
Informal votes			1,433	1.6	+0.3
Turnout			91,267	66.3	–1.3
Registered voters			137,747	–	–
Source: ECSA

See also

• Members of the South Australian House of Assembly, 1893–1896
• 1894 South Australian Legislative Council election