Australian federal election, 1937

Australian Federal Election, 1937

23 October 1937
All 74 seats of the Australian House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority in the House 19 (of the 36) seats of the Australian Senate
First party Second party   Leader Joseph Lyons John Curtin Party UAP/Country coalition Labor Leader since 7 May 1931 1 October 1935 Leader's seat Wilmot Fremantle Last election 42 seats 18 seats Seats won 43 seats 29 seats Seat change 1 11 Percentage 50.60% 49.40% Swing 2.9 2.9
Prime Minister before election Joseph Lyons UAP/Country coalition Elected Prime Minister Joseph Lyons UAP/Country coalition

Federal elections were held in Australia on 23 October 1937. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led by Earle Page defeated the opposition Australian Labor Party led by John Curtin.

The election is notable in that the Country Party (later the National Party) achieved its highest-ever primary vote in the lower house, thereby winning nearly a quarter of all lower house seats. At the 1934 election nine seats in New South Wales had been won by Lang Labor. Following the reunion of the two Labor parties in February 1936, these were held by their members as ALP seats at the 1937 election. With the party's win in Ballaarat and Gwydir (initially at a by-election on 8 March 1937), the ALP had a net gain of 11 seats compared with the previous election.

Results

House of Reps (IRV) — 1937–40—Turnout 96.13% (CV) — Informal 2.59%

	Party	Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Australian Labor Party	1,555,737	43.17	+16.36	29	+11	(4 elected unopposed)
	United Australia Party	1,214,526	33.71	+0.73	28	0
	Country Party	560,279	15.55	+2.93	15	+1
	Social Credit Party	79,432	2.20	−2.49	0	0
	Independent UAP (NSW)	25,522	0.71	*	1	+1
	Independent	150,692	4.18	+1.00	1	+1
	Other	17,153	0.48		0	−14
	Total	3,603,341			74
	UAP/Country coalition	WIN	50.60	−2.9	43	+1
	Australian Labor Party		49.40	+2.9	29	+11

Independent: Alexander Wilson (Wimmera, Vic)

The member for Northern Territory, Adair Blain (Independent), had voting rights only for issues relating to the Territory, and so is not included in the table.

Popular Vote
Labor			43.17%
United Australia			33.17%
Country			15.55%
Social Credit			2.20%
Independent UAP			0.71%
Independent			4.81%
Others			0.48%

Two Party Preferred Vote
Coalition			50.60%
Labor			49.40%

Parliament Seats
Coalition			58.11%
Labor			38.19%
Independent UAP			1.35%
Independent			1.35%

Senate (P BV) — 1937–40—Turnout 94.75% (CV) — Informal 9.56%

	Party	Votes	%	Swing	Seats Won	Seats Held	Change
	Australian Labor Party	1,699,172	48.48	+20.40	16	16	+13
	UAP/Country (Joint Ticket)	1,005,247	28.68	+10.44	0
	United Australia Party	565,161	16.13	−4.54	3	16	−10
	Country Party	66,481	1.90	−12.41	0	4	−3
	Social Credit Party	49,801	1.42	−1.36	0	0	0
	Independent	118,768	3.39	+2.93	0	0	0
	Total	3,504,630			19	36

Seats changing hands

Seat	Pre-1937				Swing	Post-1937
	Party		Member	Margin		Margin	Member	Party
Ballaarat, Vic		United Australia	Archibald Fisken	3.9	3.5	0.6	Reg Pollard	Labor
Bendigo, Vic		United Australia	Eric Harrison	N/A	0.3	6.9	George Rankin	Country
Grey, SA		United Australia	Philip McBride	N/A	2.9	7.1	Oliver Badman	Country
Warringah, NSW		United Australia	Archdale Parkhill	N/A	29.4	1.9	Percy Spender	Independent UAP
Wimmera, Vic		Country	Hugh McClelland	N/A	2.9	1.9	Alexander Wilson	Independent

• Members in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

See also

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1937
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1937–1940
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1938–1941

References

• University of WA election results in Australia since 1890
• Two-party-preferred vote since 1937