December 1870 Goldfields South colonial by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Goldfields South on 12 December 1870 as a result of the Legislative Assembly declaring the election of Ezekiel Baker was void.[1] Baker had been appointed to conduct a Royal Commission to inquire into the laws and regulations of the goldfields and for securing a permanent water supply.[2] The Committee of Elections and Qualifications held that this appointment was an office of profit under the crown which meant he was incapable of being elected, or of sitting, or voting, as a member of the Assembly.[3]

Dates
DateEvent
18 August 1870 Question referred to the Elections and Qualifications Committee.[4]
4 November 1870 The Assembly considered the report of the Elections and Qualifications Committee and declared the seat vacant.[5]
5 November 1879 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.[6]
21 November 1879 Nominations at Adelong
12 December 1879 Polling day
3 January 1871 Return of writ

Polling places

Result
1870 Goldfields South by-election
Monday 12 December [8]
Candidate Votes %
Ezekiel Baker (elected) 1,054 79.9
George Stephen 265 20.1
Total formal votes 1,319 100.0
Informal votes 0 0.0
Turnout 1,319 66.0

See also

References
  1. Nairn, Bede (1969). "Baker, Ezekiel Alexander (1823–1912)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 3. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538.
  2. "Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Working of the present Gold Fields Act and Regulations of New South Wales and into the best means of securing a permanent water supply for the Gold Fields of the Colony". State Records. Government of New South Wales. 31 October 1871. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  3. Twomey, Anne (2004). The Constitution of New South Wales. Federation Press. pp. 442. ISBN 9781862875166. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. "Electorate of Goldfields South - Mr Baker". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 August 1870. p. 2. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via Trove.
  5. "The seat of Mr Baker". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 November 1870. p. 4. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Trove.
  6. "Writ of election: Gold Fields South". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 271. 5 November 1879. p. 2457. Retrieved 16 September 2020 – via Trove.
  7. "Polling for Goldfields South". Gundagai Times and Tumut, Adelong and Murrumbidgee District Advertiser. 17 December 1870. p. 2. Retrieved 9 June 2021 – via Trove.
  8. Green, Antony. "December 1870 Goldfields South by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
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