1966 Australian Senate election

See also: 1966 Australian federal election

Special Senate elections were held on 26 November 1966 to elect members to fill casual vacancies in the Australian Senate for the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.

1966 Australian Senate election

← 1964 26 November 1966 1967 →
6 of the 54 seats in the Senate 27 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Denham Henty Don Willesee Vince Gair Party Coalition Labor DLP Leader's seat Tasmania Western Australia Queensland Seats before 30 27 2 Seats won 4 2 0 Seats after 29 28 2 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 2,406,768 1,897,049 421,959 Percentage 50.04% 39.45% 8.77% Swing 4.30pp 5.21pp 0.38pp

Prior to 29 July 1977, the filing of casual vacancies was complex. While senators were elected for a six-year term, people appointed to a casual vacancy only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate, at which the vacancy would be filled by the electors of the relevant state.^[1]

This was one of the few occasions in which there was a special election for the Senate, as the House of Representatives and Senate elections had got out of synchronisation as a result of Robert Menzies calling an early House-only election in 1963.

Because of the loss of a seat in Western Australia, the Coalition held less than half of the seats in the chamber; the Democratic Labor Party and independent senator Reg Turnbull held the balance of power.

Australia

Senate (STV) — 1966—Turnout 95.05% (CV) — Informal 5.34%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats won	Seats held	Change
		Liberal	1,645,319	34.21		3	32	1
		Country	761,449	15.83		1	7
	Coalition total		2,406,768	50.040		4	29	1
	Labor		1,897,049	39.45		2	28	1
	Democratic Labor		421,959	8.77		−	2
	Liberal Reform Group		43,716	0.91
	Independent		39,799	0.83			1
	Total		4,809,291			6	54

New South Wales

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, New South Wales^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			1,046,934
	Liberal	Bob Cotton (re-elected 1)	1,056,968	50.48
	Labor	Clive Evatt	908,763	43.40
	Democratic Labor	Gwynydd Meredith	128,136	6.12
Total formal votes			2,093,867	95.75
Informal votes			92,949	4.25
Turnout			2,186,816	94.72

Queensland

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Queensland^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			417,438
	Liberal	Bill Heatley (re-elected)	426,726	51.11
	Labor	Bertie Milliner	328,289	39.32
	Democratic Labor	Rogers Judge	62,870	7.53
	Independent	Ian Kent	16,989	2.03
Total formal votes			834,874	97.32
Informal votes			22,956	2.68
Turnout			857,830	95.26

Victoria

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Victoria^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			593,218
	Country	1. James Webster (re-elected 1) 2. Lloyd Atkin	761,449	50.26
	Labor	1. George Poyser (re-elected 2) 2. Giuseppe Di Salvo	507,188	33.48
	Democratic Labor	1. Jack Little 2. Frank Dowling	190,681	12.59
	Liberal Reform Group	1. Edwin Ryan	43,716	2.89
	Independent	1. Kenneth Nolan 2. Laurence Hoult	11,933	0.79
Total formal votes			4,152,524	95.83
Informal votes			180,743	4.17
Turnout			4,333,267	93.98

Western Australia

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Western Australia^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
Quota			121,862
	Liberal	1. Peter Sim (re-elected 1) 2. Reg Withers (defeated) 3. Victor Garland	161,625	44.21
	Labor	1. Laurie Wilkinson (elected 2) 2. John Henshaw	152,809	41.80
	Democratic Labor	1. Mark Briffa 2. Lydia Obbes	40,272	11.02
	Independent	1. Frederick Simpson 2. John Huelin	10,877	2.98
Total formal votes			365,583	89.26
Informal votes			43,987	10.74
Turnout			409,570	94.57

Changing seats

State	1963 election				Appointment				1966 Election
	Party		Member	Term	Party		Member	Date	Member	Party
New South Wales		Liberal	Bill Spooner	1963-1968		Liberal	Bob Cotton	4 August 1965	Bob Cotton	Liberal
Victoria		Labor	Charles Sandford	1963-1968		Labor	George Poyser	26 October 1966	George Poyser	Labor
		Country	Harrie Wade	1963-1968		Country	James Webster	9 December 1964	James Webster	Country
Queensland		Liberal	Bob Sherrington	1963-1968		Liberal	Bill Heatley	14 April 1966	Bill Heatley	Liberal
Western Australia		Liberal	Sir Shane Paltridge	1963-1968		Liberal	Reg Withers	17 February 1966	Laurie Wilkinson	Labor
		Liberal	Seddon Vincent	1963-1968		Liberal	Peter Sim	26 November 1964	Peter Sim	Liberal

See also

• Candidates of the 1966 Australian federal election
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1965–1968

References

1. Evans, H. "Filling Casual Vacancies before 1977, Volume 3" (PDF). The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
2. Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: New South Wales". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
3. Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Queensland". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
4. Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Victoria". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
5. Carr, Adam. "1966 Senate special election: Western Australia". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 16 January 2023.