1921 South African general election

General elections were held in South Africa on 8 February 1921 to elect the 134 members of the House of Assembly.[1] The South African Party, which since the previous election had fused with the Unionist Party, won an absolute majority.

1921 South African general election

8 February 1921 (1921-02-08)

All 134 seats in the House of Assembly
68 seats needed for a majority
Turnout55.60% Decrease
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jan Smuts J. B. M. Hertzog F. H. P. Creswell
Party South African National Labour
Last election 50.51%, 66 seats[lower-alpha 1] 32.62%, 43 seats 14.65%, 21 seats
Seats won 77 44 10
Seat change Increase11 Increase1 Decrease11
Popular vote 137,389 105,039 29,406
Percentage 49.90% 38.15% 10.68%
Swing Decrease0.61pp Decrease0.33pp Decrease3.97pp

Results by province

Prime Minister before election

Jan Smuts
South African

Elected Prime Minister

Jan Smuts
South African

Delimitation of electoral divisions

The South Africa Act 1909 had provided for a delimitation commission to define the boundaries for each electoral division. The representation by province, under the third delimitation report of 1919, is set out in the table below. The figures in brackets are the number of electoral divisions in the previous (1913) delimitation. If there is no figure in brackets then the number was unchanged.[2]

The electoral divisions used for this general election were the same as those for the 1920 election.

ProvincesCapeNatalOrange Free StateTransvaalTotal
Divisions51171749 (45)134 (130)

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
South African Party137,38949.9077+11
National Party105,03938.1544+1
Labour Party29,40610.6810–11
Socialist League940.0300
Independents3,3851.231–2
Vacant2
Total275,313100.001340
Valid votes275,31399.13
Invalid/blank votes2,4290.87
Total votes277,742100.00
Registered voters/turnout499,53155.60
Source: Potgieter[3]

Notes

  1. South African Party and Unionist Party combined.

References

  • South Africa 1982: Official Yearbook of the Republic of South Africa, published by Chris van Rensburg Publications
  1. The Times, edition of 7 February 1921, p. 11
  2. South Africa 1982, page 129
  3. Dirk J. Potgieter (1971) Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Volume 4, p. 272
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