Results of the 1877 New South Wales colonial election

The 1877 New South Wales colonial election was for 73 members representing 61 electoral districts. The election was conducted on the basis of a simple majority or first-past-the-post voting system. In this election there were 8 multi-member districts returning 20 members and 53 single member districts. In the multi-member districts each elector could vote for as many candidates as there were vacancies. 17 districts were uncontested. There was no recognisable party structure at this election.^[1]

New South Wales colonial election, 24 October – 12 November 1877 [1] Legislative Assembly << 1874–75–1880 >>
Enrolled voters
Votes cast		98,503		Turnout	48.31	+1.10
Informal votes		680		Informal	1.01	−0.19
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
Total		98,503			73

There were four districts that did not have a residential or property qualification, Goldfields North (1,200), Goldfields South (1,500), Goldfields West (10,000) and University of Sydney (158). The average number of enrolled voters per seat in the other districts was 2,342 ranging from The Paterson (556) to The Bogan (7,401).^[2] The electoral boundaries were established under the Electoral Act 1858 (NSW).^[3][4]

Election results

Argyle

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Argyle
Thursday 1 November ^[5]

Candidate		Votes	%
William Davies (elected)		890	61.7
Charles Heydon		553	38.3
Total formal votes		1,443	97.5
Informal votes		37	2.5
Turnout		1,480	60.9

Balranald

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Balranald
Monday 12 November ^[6]

Candidate		Votes	%
Colin Simson (elected)		623	79.8
John Smart		158	20.2
Total formal votes		781	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		797	23.2

Bathurst

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Bathurst
Monday 29 October ^[7]

Candidate		Votes	%
Francis Suttor (re-elected)		551	64.1
David Williamson		308	35.9
Total formal votes		859	98.1
Informal votes		17	1.9
Turnout		876	51.9

The Bogan

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Bogan
Monday 12 November ^[8]

Candidate		Votes	%
Walter Coonan (elected)		1,248	51.8
Sir John Robertson		1,020	42.3
Sir Henry Parkes		117	4.9
John Ardill		12	0.5
William Forlonge		7	0.3
Jean Serisier		5	0.2
Total formal votes		2,409	97.1
Informal votes		72	2.9
Turnout		2,481	33.5

Braidwood

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Braidwood
Wednesday 31 October ^[9]

Candidate		Votes	%
Edward Greville (re-elected)		unopposed

Camden

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Camden
Tuesday 30 October ^[10]

Candidate		Votes	%
Thomas Garrett (re-elected 1)		762	41.4
Arthur Onslow (re-elected 2)		683	37.1
Thomas Fisher		397	21.6
Total formal votes		1,842	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,255	53.1

Canterbury

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Canterbury
Monday 29 October ^[11]

Candidate		Votes	%
Sir Henry Parkes (elected 1)		1,841	28.4
John Lucas (re-elected 2)		1,645	25.4
Richard Hill (defeated)		1,443	22.3
George Pile		969	14.9
William Henson		588	9.1
Total formal votes		6,486	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		6,486	49.2

Carcoar

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Carcoar
Tuesday 30 October ^[12]

Candidate		Votes	%
Andrew Lynch (re-elected)		unopposed

The Clarence

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Clarence
Saturday 3 November ^[13]

Candidate		Votes	%
Thomas Bawden (re-elected)		1,161	42.2
Charles Fawcett		1,126	41.0
Edward Madgwick		286	10.4
Sir John Robertson		176	6.4
Total formal votes		2,749	98.4
Informal votes		46	1.7
Turnout		2,795	59.7

Central Cumberland

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Central Cumberland
Monday 29 October ^[14]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Lackey (re-elected)		unopposed
Andrew McCulloch (elected)		unopposed

The other sitting member William Long successfully contested Parramatta.^[15]

East Macquarie

1877 New South Wales colonial election: East Macquarie
Monday 5 November ^[16]

Candidate		Votes	%
Sir John Robertson (elected 1)		781	38.5
William Suttor (re-elected 2)		627	30.9
William Cummings		515	25.4
George Stephen		105	5.2
Total formal votes		2,028	99.0
Informal votes		21	1.0
Turnout		1,307	63.4

East Maitland

1877 New South Wales colonial election: East Maitland
Wednesday 31 October ^[17]

Candidate		Votes	%
Stephen Scholey (re-elected)		268	50.2
Alexander Dodds		266	49.8
Total formal votes		534	99.1
Informal votes		5	0.9
Turnout		539	70.2

East Sydney

1877 New South Wales colonial election: East Sydney
Wednesday 24 October ^[18]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Macintosh (re-elected 1)		4,112	19.0
John Davies (re-elected 2)		3,761	17.4
James Greenwood (elected 3)		3,493	16.1
Alexander Stuart (re-elected 4)		2,930	13.5
Sir Henry Parkes (defeated)		2,843	13.1
Sedgwick Cowper		1,335	6.2
Francis Dixon		1,302	6.0
Isaac Josephson		1,029	4.8
Ninian Melville		540	2.5
Josiah Mason		173	0.8
William Cover		77	0.4
George Perry		60	0.3
Total formal votes		21,655	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		7,156	54.1

Eden

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Eden
Tuesday 30 October ^[19]

Candidate		Votes	%
Henry Clarke (re-elected)		825	69.6
Sir Henry Parkes		361	30.4
Total formal votes		1,186	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,216	54.5

The Glebe

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Glebe
Monday 29 October ^[20]

Candidate		Votes	%
George Allen (re-elected)		1,179	64.8
Charles Mossman		641	35.2
Total formal votes		1,820	97.9
Informal votes		39	2.1
Turnout		1,859	55.2

Goldfields South

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Goldfields South
Monday 12 November ^[21]

Candidate		Votes	%
Ezekiel Baker (re-elected)		unopposed

Goldfields West

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Goldfields West
Monday 12 November ^[22]

Candidate		Votes	%
Louis Beyers (elected)		476	57.9
David Buchanan (defeated)		346	42.1
Total formal votes		822	97.9
Informal votes		18	2.1
Turnout		840	8.4

Goldfields North

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Goldfields North
Monday 12 November ^[23]

Candidate		Votes	%
Henry Copeland (elected)		unopposed

Goulburn

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Goulburn
Friday 26 October ^[24]

Candidate		Votes	%
William Teece (re-elected)		400	62.8
Frederick Horn		237	37.2
Total formal votes		637	97.7
Informal votes		15	2.3
Turnout		652	65.7

The Gwydir

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Gwydir
Monday 5 November ^[25]

Candidate		Votes	%
Thomas Dangar (re-elected)		unopposed

Hartley

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Hartley
Thursday 1 November ^[26]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Hurley (b 1844) (re-elected)		695	57.8
Patrick Higgins		508	42.2
Total formal votes		1,203	97.8
Informal votes		27	2.2
Turnout		1,230	63.0

The Hastings

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Hastings
Saturday 3 November ^[27]

Candidate		Votes	%
Robert Smith (re-elected)		1,018	94.2
Thomas Amos		63	5.8
Total formal votes		1,081	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,093	34.5

The Hawkesbury

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Hawkesbury
Tuesday 30 October ^[28]

Candidate		Votes	%
Alexander Bowman (elected 1)		462	33.0
Henry Moses (re-elected 2)		383	27.3
William Piddington (defeated)		283	20.2
Thomas Primrose		177	12.6
George Davies		96	6.9
Total formal votes		1,401	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,401	50.8

The Hume

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Hume
Monday 5 November ^[29]

Candidate		Votes	%
George Day (re-elected)		461	97.7
Sir Henry Parkes		11	2.3
Total formal votes		472	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		484	15.4

The Hunter

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Hunter
Tuesday 30 October ^[30]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Burns (re-elected)		unopposed

Illawarra

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Illawarra
Monday 29 October ^[31]

Candidate		Votes	%
Samuel Gray (re-elected)		unopposed

Kiama

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Kiama
Monday 29 October ^[32]

Candidate		Votes	%
Samuel Charles (re-elected)		unopposed

The Lachlan

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Lachlan
Saturday 3 November ^[33]

Candidate		Votes	%
James Watson (re-elected)		unopposed

Liverpool Plains

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Liverpool Plains
Saturday 3 November ^[34]

Candidate		Votes	%
Hanley Bennett (re-elected)		703	42.5
Michael Burke		536	32.4
George Grehan		415	25.1
Total formal votes		1,654	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,654	36.4

The Lower Hunter

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Lower Hunter
Tuesday 30 October ^[35]

Candidate		Votes	%
Archibald Jacob (re-elected)		unopposed

Monara

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Monara
Friday 2 November ^[36]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Murphy (elected)		768	59.6
Alexander Montague (defeated)		521	40.4
Total formal votes		1,289	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,289	54.0

Morpeth

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Morpeth
Monday 29 October ^[37]

Candidate		Votes	%
Robert Wisdom (re-elected)		unopposed

Mudgee

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Mudgee
Monday 5 November ^[38]

Candidate		Votes	%
Sir John Robertson (elected)		1,142	53.7
Richard Rouse (defeated)		985	46.3
Total formal votes		2,127	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		2,130	44.4

The Murray

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Murray
Monday 5 November ^[39]

Candidate		Votes	%
Robert Barbour (elected)		815	51.9
James Davidson		754	48.1
Total formal votes		1,569	97.4
Informal votes		42	2.6
Turnout		1,611	62.9

The Murrumbidgee

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Murrumbidgee
Monday 5 November ^[40]

Candidate		Votes	%
Joseph Leary (re-elected)		531	36.7
Henry Parkes		468	32.4
James Gormly		447	30.9
Total formal votes		1,446	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,483	32.3

Narellan

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Narellan
Saturday 27 October ^[41]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Hurley (b 1796) (re-elected)		244	57.3
John Kidd		182	42.7
Total formal votes		426	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		426	74.6

The Nepean

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Nepean
Monday 29 October ^[42]

Candidate		Votes	%
Thomas Smith (elected)		520	60.9
John Smith (defeated)		334	39.1
Total formal votes		854	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		854	74.0

The sitting member was Patrick Shepherd who did not contest the election. John Smith was the sitting member for Wellington.

New England

1877 New South Wales colonial election: New England
Saturday 3 November ^[43]

Candidate		Votes	%
Samuel Terry (re-elected)		736	58.6
Robert Forster (defeated)		521	41.5
Total formal votes		1,257	96.8
Informal votes		42	3.2
Turnout		1,299	49.2

Newcastle

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Newcastle
Friday 26 October ^[44]

Candidate		Votes	%
Richard Bowker (elected)		784	54.7
George Lloyd (defeated)		402	28.0
Thomas Hungerford		230	16.0
William Brookes		18	1.3
Total formal votes		1,434	98.4
Informal votes		24	1.7
Turnout		1,458	77.1

Newtown

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Newtown
Saturday 27 October ^[45]

Candidate		Votes	%
Stephen Brown (re-elected)		1,083	82.7
James Yeomans		227	17.3
Total formal votes		1,310	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,310	39.3

Northumberland

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Northumberland
Monday 29 October ^[46]

Candidate		Votes	%
Thomas Hungerford (elected)		1,580	50.7
William Turner (defeated)		1,534	49.3
Total formal votes		3,114	97.7
Informal votes		75	2.4
Turnout		3,189	72.7

Orange

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Orange
Friday 26 October ^[47]

Candidate		Votes	%
Edward Combes (re-elected)		unopposed

Paddington

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Paddington
Friday 26 October ^[48]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Sutherland (re-elected)		unopposed

Parramatta

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Parramatta
Saturday 27 October ^[15]

Candidate		Votes	%
Hugh Taylor (re-elected 1)		571	33.9
William Long (re-elected 2)		426	25.3
Walter Cooper		370	22.0
George Young		265	15.8
John Bergan		51	3.0
Total formal votes		1,683	98.9
Informal votes		19	1.1
Turnout		988	85.7

The other sitting member Charles Byrnes did not contest the election. William Long was the member for Central Cumberland.^[15]

The Paterson

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Paterson
Saturday 27 October ^[49]

Candidate		Votes	%
Herbert Brown (re-elected)		unopposed

Patrick's Plains

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Patrick's Plains
Tuesday 30 October ^[50]

Candidate		Votes	%
William Browne (re-elected)		468	63.6
William Durham		268	36.4
Total formal votes		736	97.1
Informal votes		22	2.9
Turnout		758	52.8

Queanbeyan

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Queanbeyan
Monday 29 October ^[51]

Candidate		Votes	%
James Thompson (elected)		446	49.8
Thomas Rutledge		337	37.7
William O'Neill		112	12.5
Total formal votes		895	98.4
Informal votes		15	1.7
Turnout		910	67.4

Shoalhaven

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Shoalhaven
Wednesday 31 October ^[52]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Roseby (elected)		591	50.5
Thomas Richards		579	49.5
Total formal votes		1,170	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,193	76.6

St Leonards

1877 New South Wales colonial election: St Leonards
Wednesday 31 October ^[53]

Candidate		Votes	%
James Farnell (re-elected)		unopposed

Tenterfield

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Tenterfield
Saturday 3 November ^[54]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Dillon (elected)		642	40.9
Robert Abbott (defeated)		518	33.0
Alexander Murray		410	26.1
Total formal votes		1,570	97.3
Informal votes		44	2.7
Turnout		1,614	38.3

The Tumut

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Tumut
Monday 5 November ^[55]

Candidate		Votes	%
James Hoskins (re-elected)		557	60.6
Sir John Robertson		362	39.4
Total formal votes		919	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		937	42.4

University of Sydney

1877 New South Wales colonial election: University of Sydney
Tuesday 6 November ^[56]

Candidate		Votes	%
William Windeyer (re-elected)		unopposed

The Upper Hunter

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Upper Hunter
Saturday 3 November ^[57]

Candidate		Votes	%
John McElhone (re-elected)		1,169	71.9
Sir John Robertson		456	28.1
Total formal votes		1,625	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		1,651	50.4

Wellington

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Wellington
Friday 2 November ^[58]

Candidate		Votes	%
John Shepherd (elected)		741	50.2
Patrick Jennings		595	40.3
Thomas Wythes		139	9.4
Total formal votes		1,475	99.4
Informal votes		9	0.6
Turnout		1,521	60.9

The sitting member was John Smith who unsuccessfully contested Nepean.

West Macquarie

1877 New South Wales colonial election: West Macquarie
Wednesday 31 October ^[59]

Candidate		Votes	%
Charles Pilcher (re-elected)		314	59.3
Alexander Rae		216	40.8
Total formal votes		530	98.0
Informal votes		11	2.0
Turnout		541	47.3

West Maitland

1877 New South Wales colonial election: West Maitland
Wednesday 31 October ^[60]

Candidate		Votes	%
Henry Cohen (re-elected)		397	55.6
James Pritchard		304	42.6
Thomas Hungerford		7	1.0
Thomas Jones		6	0.8
Total formal votes		714	98.2
Informal votes		13	1.8
Turnout		727	67.2

West Sydney

1877 New South Wales colonial election: West Sydney
Thursday 25 October ^[61]

Candidate		Votes	%
James Merriman (elected 1)		2,929	15.9
Angus Cameron (re-elected 2)		2,373	12.9
Daniel O'Connor (elected 3)		2,249	12.2
John Harris (elected 4)		2,117	11.5
Henry Dangar (defeated)		2,010	10.9
Sir John Robertson (defeated)		1,892	10.3
Thomas White		1,602	8.7
George Dibbs (defeated)		1,394	7.6
Jacob Garrard		675	3.7
Benjamin Palmer		627	3.4
Joseph O'Connor		404	2.2
Archibald Hamilton		111	0.6
Henry Fisher		74	0.4
Total formal votes		18,457	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		6,542	64.8

The Williams

1877 New South Wales colonial election: The Williams
Thursday 1 November ^[62]

Candidate		Votes	%
William Johnston (re-elected)		516	51.0
John Booth (defeated)		495	49.0
Total formal votes		1,011	96.1
Informal votes		41	3.9
Turnout		1,052	70.7

William Johnston had won the seat at the 1877 by-election. John Booth was one of the sitting members for East Macquarie.

Windsor

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Windsor
Thursday 1 November ^[63]

Candidate		Votes	%
Richard Driver (re-elected)		327	72.2
Charles Cansdell		126	27.8
Total formal votes		453	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		453	74.0

Wollombi

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Wollombi
Friday 2 November ^[64]

Candidate		Votes	%
Joseph Eckford (elected)		237	36.6
Henry Levien		236	36.5
James Cunneen (defeated)		174	26.9
Total formal votes		647	100.0
Informal votes		0	0.0
Turnout		647	60.6

Yass Plains

1877 New South Wales colonial election: Yass Plains
Wednesday 31 October ^[65]

Candidate		Votes	%
Michael Fitzpatrick (re-elected)		382	52.3
Michael Perry		327	44.8
Arthur Remmington		21	2.9
Total formal votes		730	96.6
Informal votes		26	3.4
Turnout		756	43.6

See also

• Candidates of the 1877 New South Wales colonial election
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1877–1880