Election held on 21 September 1940
Criteria for the inclusion of parties in this table are set out in the Glossary under 'listed party'
Party Name | First preference vote n | First preference vote share % | Change from previous election % | Seats won n | Uncontested seats held n | Seat share % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Labor Party | 1,556,941 | 40.16 | -3.02 | 32 | 1 | 43.24 |
United Australia Party | 1,171,788 | 30.22 | -3.48 | 23 | 0 | 31.08 |
Country Party | 531,397 | 13.71 | -1.84 | 14 | 0 | 18.92 |
Independents | 312,948 | 8.07 | +3.89 | 1 | 0 | 1.35 |
Non-Communist Labor Party | 202,721 | 5.23 | * | 4 | 0 | 5.41 |
State Labor Party (NSW) | 101,191 | 2.61 | * | 0 | ||
Votes for other than listed parties | 0 | 0.00 | -0.48 | |||
Totals | 3,876,986 | 100.00 | 74 | 1 | 100.00 |
* Party did not contest previous election or did not meet criteria for listing, or contested previous election under a different party name.
Government in office at election: On the death of Prime Minister Lyons on 7 April 1939, Country Party leader Page became interim prime minister of a Country Party and United Australia Party coalition government until the United Australia Party chose new party leader. Once elected leader of the United Australia Party, Menzies was commissioned as Prime Minister of a United Australia Party minority government on 26 April 1939 as the Country Party declined to enter a coalition agreement with Menzies. On 14 March 1940, the Country Party under a new leader agreed to a revised coalition agreement and Menzies become Prime Minister of a United Australia Party and Country Party coalition government until this election in 1940.
Colin A Hughes and B D Graham, A Handbook of Australian Government and Politics 1890-1964, (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1968, SBN 708102700).