1942 York state by-election

A by-election for the seat of York in the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia was held on 21 November 1942. It was triggered by the resignation of Charles Latham (the Country Party leader and leader of the opposition) on 7 October 1942, to take up an appointment to the Senate. The Country Party retained the seat, with Charles Perkins winning by just 40 votes on the two-candidate-preferred count.

Background

Charles Latham had held York for the Country Party since the 1921 state election. He was elected party leader in 1930, and after the 1933 state election became leader of the opposition (due to the Country Party winning more seats than its coalition partner, the Nationalist Party). Latham resigned from parliament on 7 October 1942, to be appointed to the Senate.[1] The writ for the by-election was issued on 10 October, with the close of nominations on 29 October. Polling day was on 21 November, with the writ returned on 4 December.[2]

Results
York state by-election, 1942
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Country Charles Perkins 599 27.0 –34.5
Independent John Keast 478 21.5 –17.0
Labor Alfred Reynolds 472 21.2 +21.2
Independent Country Albert Noonan 396 17.8 +17.8
Independent Labor Harry Hyams 170 7.7 +7.7
Liberal (All-Parties) Carlyle Ferguson 107 4.8 +4.8
Total formal votes 2,222 98.8 –0.6
Informal votes 28 1.2 +0.6
Turnout 2,250 80.3 –11.7
Two-candidate-preferred result
Country Charles Perkins 1,131 50.9 N/A
Independent John Keast 1,091 49.1 N/A
Country hold SwingN/A

Aftermath

Perkins held York until it was abolished at the 1950 state election, and then held Roe until his death in office in 1961. He served as a minister in the government of David Brand.[3] One of his opponents at the by-election, Labor's Alfred Reynolds, won the seat of Forrest at the 1947 state election, although he served only a single term.[4] Latham, the retiring member in York, served in the Senate for less than a year, losing his seat at the 1943 federal election. He returned to state parliament in 1946, as a member of the Legislative Council.[1]

See also

References
  1. Charles George Latham, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  2. Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics, Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, Western Australia: Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. p. 363. ISBN 0-7309-8409-5.
  3. Charles Collier Perkins, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  4. Alfred George Reynolds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
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