Electoral results for the district of Essendon

This is a list of electoral results for the Electoral district of Essendon in Victorian state elections.

Members for Essendon

Member		Party	Term
	William Watt	Liberal	1904–1914
	Maurice Blackburn	Labor	1914–1917
	Thomas Ryan	Nationalist	1917–1924
	Frank Keane	Labor	1924–1927
	Arthur Drakeford	Labor	1927–1932
	James Dillon	United Australia	1932–1943
	Samuel Merrifield	Labor	1943–1945
	Arthur Drakeford Jr	Labor	1945–1947
	Allen Bateman	Liberal	1947–1950
	George Fewster	Labor	1950–1955
		Labor (Anti-Communist)	1955
	Sir Kenneth Wheeler	Liberal	1958–1979
	Barry Rowe	Labor	1979–1992
	Ian Davis	Liberal	1992–1996
	Judy Maddigan	Labor	1996–2010
	Justin Madden	Labor	2010–2014
	Danny Pearson	Labor	2014–present

Election results

Elections in the 2020s

2022 Victorian state election: Essendon^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Danny Pearson	17,196	41.1	−5.1
	Liberal	Angelo Baronessa	12,331	29.5	+1.9
	Greens	Jared Prentis	6,344	15.1	−1.7
	Victorian Socialists	Daniel Nair Dadich	1,951	4.7	+4.7
	Animal Justice	Gayle Williams	1,173	2.8	+2.8
	Reason	Nicholas Hope	1,018	2.4	+2.4
	Freedom	David Wright	1,006	2.4	+2.4
	Family First	Margaret Muir	848	2.0	+2.0
Total formal votes			41,867	96.0	+1.5
Informal votes			1,761	4.0	−1.5
Turnout			43,628	88.1
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Danny Pearson	26,146	62.5	−3.4
	Liberal	Angelo Baronessa	15,721	37.5	+3.4
	Labor hold		Swing	−3.4

Elections in the 2010s

2018 Victorian state election: Essendon^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Danny Pearson	19,173	46.23	+5.33
	Liberal	Gino Potenza	11,414	27.52	−8.34
	Greens	James Williams	6,971	16.81	−1.22
	Independent	Richard Lawrence	1,702	4.10	+0.72
	Independent	Kate Baker	1,356	3.27	+3.27
	Democratic Labour	Dermot Connors	856	2.06	+2.06
Total formal votes			41,472	95.25	−0.81
Informal votes			2,067	4.75	+0.81
Turnout			43,539	89.91	−2.52
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Danny Pearson	27,315	65.86	+7.20
	Liberal	Gino Potenza	14,157	34.14	−7.20
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.20

2014 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Danny Pearson	16,026	40.9	+2.8
	Liberal	Fred Ackerman	14,052	35.9	+1.1
	Greens	Ashley Waite	7,065	18.0	+0.1
	Independent	Richard Lawrence	1,326	3.4	+3.4
	Voice for the West	Mario Mendez	714	1.8	+1.8
Total formal votes			39,183	96.1	+0.1
Informal votes			1,605	3.9	−0.1
Turnout			40,788	92.4	+2.7
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Danny Pearson	22,988	58.7	+4.3
	Liberal	Fred Ackerman	16,195	41.3	−4.3
	Labor hold		Swing	+4.3

2010 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Rebecca Gauci	12,983	36.83	+3.53
	Labor	Justin Madden	12,867	36.50	-13.37
	Greens	Rose Iser	5,816	16.50	+4.34
	Independent	Paul Giuliano	2,540	7.21	+7.21
	Democratic Labor	Sarah Notaro	1,047	2.97	+2.97
Total formal votes			35,253	95.97	+0.72
Informal votes			1,480	4.03	-0.72
Turnout			36,733	92.17	+0.44
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Justin Madden	18,224	51.66	-10.04
	Liberal	Rebecca Gauci	17,051	48.34	+10.04
	Labor hold		Swing	-10.04

Elections in the 2000s

2006 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	16,383	49.87	-4.67
	Liberal	Conrad D'Souza	10,939	33.30	+1.84
	Greens	Bob Muntz	3,995	12.16	-0.29
	Family First	Arthur Tsiglopoulos	997	3.03	+3.03
	Independent	Philip Cutler	414	1.26	+1.26
	Citizens Electoral Council	Jeremy Beck	125	0.38	-1.17
Total formal votes			32,853	95.25	-1.62
Informal votes			1,639	4.75	+1.62
Turnout			34,492	91.73	-0.73
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	20,276	61.70	-4.22
	Liberal	Conrad D'Souza	12,586	38.30	+4.22
	Labor hold		Swing	-4.22

2002 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	18,255	54.5	-3.6
	Liberal	Steve Reynolds	10,531	31.5	-10.4
	Greens	Victor Lewis-Hansom	4,167	12.4	+12.4
	Citizens Electoral Council	Colin Horne	519	1.6	+1.6
Total formal votes			33,472	96.9	-0.6
Informal votes			1,081	3.1	+0.6
Turnout			34,553	92.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	22,065	65.9	+7.8
	Liberal	Steve Reynolds	11,405	34.1	-7.8
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.8

Elections in the 1990s

1999 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	18,489	58.5	+5.1
	Liberal	Ken Saunders	13,135	41.5	-5.1
Total formal votes			31,624	97.4	-0.3
Informal votes			839	2.6	+0.3
Turnout			32,463	93.7
	Labor hold		Swing	+5.1

1996 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	15,652	50.9	+6.9
	Liberal	Ian Davis	13,282	43.2	+0.2
	Independent	Joan Brodie	978	3.2	+3.2
	Independent	Geoff Lutz	291	0.9	+0.9
	Independent	Simone Green	288	0.9	+0.9
	Natural Law	Jamie Pollock	263	0.9	-1.3
Total formal votes			30,754	97.7	+1.4
Informal votes			727	2.3	-1.4
Turnout			31,481	93.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	16,404	53.4	+4.6
	Liberal	Ian Davis	14,324	46.6	-4.6
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+4.6

1992 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	13,046	44.0	-10.0
	Liberal	Ian Davis	12,757	43.0	+1.0
	Independent	Rowena Allsop	2,341	7.9	+7.9
	Independent	Geoff Ireland	875	3.0	+3.0
	Natural Law	John Bell	628	2.1	+2.1
Total formal votes			29,647	96.3	+0.7
Informal votes			1,145	3.7	-0.7
Turnout			30,792	93.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Ian Davis	15,159	51.2	+6.7
	Labor	Judy Maddigan	14,429	48.8	-6.7
	Liberal gain from Labor		Swing	+6.7

Elections in the 1980s

1988 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Barry Rowe	13,862	55.55	-6.53
	Liberal	Thomas Hilbert	10,404	41.70	+3.78
	Call to Australia	Karl Benden	686	2.75	+2.75
Total formal votes			24,952	95.43	-1.26
Informal votes			1,194	4.57	+1.26
Turnout			26,146	89.57	-2.21
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Barry Rowe	14,156	56.74	-5.34
	Liberal	Thomas Hilbert	10,404	43.26	+5.34
	Labor hold		Swing	-5.34

1985 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Barry Rowe	16,964	62.1	-1.8
	Liberal	Brian Dodgson	10,360	37.9	+3.7
Total formal votes			27,324	96.7
Informal votes			935	3.3
Turnout			28,259	91.8
	Labor hold		Swing	-2.9

1982 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Barry Rowe	14,396	57.3	+6.5
	Liberal	Graeme Goodson	9,770	38.9	-2.5
	Democrats	Alan Powell	780	3.1	+3.1
	Australia	Richard Wright	176	0.7	+0.7
Total formal votes			25,122	97.2	-0.1
Informal votes			719	2.8	+0.1
Turnout			25,841	95.1	+0.7
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Barry Rowe	14,932	59.4	+7.9
	Liberal	Graeme Goodson	10,190	40.6	-7.9
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.9

Elections in the 1970s

1979 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Barry Rowe	12,864	50.8	+0.8
	Liberal	Ian Hocking	10,487	41.4	-8.6
	Democratic Labor	Richard McManus	1,993	7.9	+7.9
Total formal votes			25,344	97.3	+0.1
Informal votes			702	2.7	-0.1
Turnout			26,046	94.4	+0.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Barry Rowe	13,045	51.5	+1.6
	Liberal	Ian Hocking	12,299	48.5	-1.6
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+1.6

1976 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	13,197	50.05	+8.1
	Labor	Barry Rowe	13,173	49.95	+5.7
Total formal votes			26,370	97.2
Informal votes			748	2.8
Turnout			27,118	93.9
	Liberal hold		Swing	-2.8

1973 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ronald Kennelly	11,514	42.7	-3.0
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	11,232	41.6	+4.2
	Democratic Labor	John Moloney	2,483	9.2	-7.6
	Australia	Stanley Bell	1,205	4.5	+4.5
	Defence of Government Schools	Lancelot Hutchinson	555	2.1	+2.1
Total formal votes			26,989	96.0	-0.8
Informal votes			1,113	4.0	+0.8
Turnout			28,102	95.1	-0.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	14,377	53.3	+2.6
	Labor	Ronald Kennelly	12,612	46.7	-2.6
	Liberal hold		Swing	+2.6

1970 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ronald Kennelly	11,137	45.7	+4.5
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	9,125	37.4	-2.1
	Democratic Labor	Kevin Digby	4,103	16.8	-1.7
Total formal votes			24,365	96.8	-1.4
Informal votes			815	3.2	+1.4
Turnout			25,180	95.4	-1.2
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	12,342	50.7	-4.7
	Labor	Ronald Kennelly	12,023	49.3	+4.7
	Liberal hold		Swing	-4.7

Elections in the 1960s

1967 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Arthur Sanger	9,624	41.2	-1.2
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	9,216	39.5	+1.1
	Democratic Labor	Kevin Digby	4,315	18.5	-0.8
	Independent	Francis Zajac	181	0.8	+0.8
Total formal votes			23,986	98.2
Informal votes			181	1.8
Turnout			24,167	96.6
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Kenneth Wheeler	12,929	55.4	+0.5
	Labor	Arthur Sanger	10,407	44.6	-0.5
	Liberal hold		Swing	+0.5

1964 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	9,893	41.9	+2.0
	Labor	Richard Kirby	9,234	39.1	+0.4
	Democratic Labor	Kevin Digby	4,504	19.1	-1.0
Total formal votes			23,631	98.0	+0.6
Informal votes			485	2.0	-0.6
Turnout			24,116	94.9	-0.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	13,459	57.0	0.0
	Labor	Richard Kirby	10,172	43.0	0.0
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing	0.0

1961 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	9,054	39.9	+1.8
	Labor	Leslie Edmunds	8,794	38.7	-6.2
	Democratic Labor	Kevin Digby	4,564	20.1	+3.0
	Independent	Norman McClure	294	1.3	+1.3
Total formal votes			22,706	97.4	-1.0
Informal votes			614	2.6	+1.0
Turnout			23,320	95.4	-0.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	12,933	57.0	+5.5
	Labor	Leslie Edmunds	9,773	43.0	-5.5
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing	+5.5

Elections in the 1950s

1958 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	9,737	44.9
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	8,270	38.1
	Democratic Labor	Kevin Digby	3,702	17.1
Total formal votes			21,709	98.4
Informal votes			343	1.6
Turnout			22,052	95.7
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	11,181	51.5
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	10,528	48.5
	Liberal and Country gain from Labor		Swing

1952 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	George Fewster	19,808	64.2	+15.1
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	8,279	26.8	-19.4
	Independent	Lancelot Hutchinson	2,765	9.0	+9.0
Total formal votes			30,852	98.4	-0.6
Informal votes			485	1.6	+0.6
Turnout			31,337	94.4	-0.9
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	George Fewster	20,085	65.1	+13.8
	Liberal and Country	Kenneth Wheeler	10,767	34.9	-13.8
	Labor hold		Swing	+13.8

1950 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	George Fewster	13,725	49.1	-0.3
	Liberal and Country	Allen Bateman	12,910	46.2	-4.4
	Independent	Arthur Dodds	1,319	4.7	+4.7
Total formal votes			27,954	99.0	+0.1
Informal votes			287	1.0	-0.1
Turnout			28,241	95.3	+0.5
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	George Fewster	14,339	51.3	+1.9
	Liberal and Country	Allen Bateman	13,615	48.7	-1.9
	Labor gain from Liberal and Country		Swing	+1.9

Elections in the 1940s

1947 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Allen Bateman	12,776	50.6	+14.0
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	12,464	49.4	-14.0
Total formal votes			25,240	98.9	+0.9
Informal votes			288	1.1	-0.9
Turnout			25,528	94.8	+5.1
	Liberal gain from Labor		Swing	+14.0

1945 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford Jr.	14,007	63.4
	Liberal	James Dillon	8,073	36.6
Total formal votes			22,080	98.0
Informal votes			442	2.0
Turnout			22,522	89.7
	Labor hold		Swing

1943 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Samuel Merrifield	12,294	45.6	-2.8
	United Australia	James Dillon	11,370	42.2	-9.4
	Independent	Arthur Dodds	3,296	12.2	+12.2
Total formal votes			26,960	97.8	-1.2
Informal votes			591	2.2	+1.2
Turnout			27,551	89.2	-6.2
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Samuel Merrifield	14,239	52.8	+4.4
	United Australia	James Dillon	12,721	47.2	-4.4
	Labor gain from United Australia		Swing	+4.4

1940 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	United Australia	James Dillon	12,931	51.6	-3.1
	Labor	Arthur Clarey	12,149	48.4	+3.1
Total formal votes			25,080	99.0	+0.1
Informal votes			261	1.0	-0.1
Turnout			25,341	95.4	-1.3
	United Australia hold		Swing	-3.1

Elections in the 1930s

1937 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	United Australia	James Dillon	12,999	54.7	+2.9
	Labor	Arthur Clarey	10,752	45.3	-2.9
Total formal votes			23,751	98.9	-0.3
Informal votes			262	1.1	+0.3
Turnout			24,013	96.7	+0.3
	United Australia hold		Swing	+2.9

1935 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	United Australia	James Dillon	11,746	51.8	-1.1
	Labor	Alan Bird	10,921	48.2	+1.1
Total formal votes			22,667	99.2	+0.1
Informal votes			193	0.8	-0.1
Turnout			22,860	96.4	0.0
	United Australia hold		Swing	-1.1

1932 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	United Australia	James Dillon	11,572	52.9	+26.8
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	10,300	47.1	-10.4
Total formal votes			21,872	99.1	+0.8
Informal votes			206	0.9	-0.8
Turnout			22,078	96.4	+0.3
	United Australia gain from Labor		Swing	+12.0

Elections in the 1920s

1929 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	12,119	57.5	+5.1
	Nationalist	Arthur Clerke	5,506	26.1	-21.5
	Ind. Nationalist	Arthur Fenton	2,680	12.7	+12.7
	Ind. Nationalist	Gerald Fitzgerald	775	3.7	+3.7
Total formal votes			21,080	98.3	-1.0
Informal votes			368	1.7	+1.0
Turnout			21,448	96.1	+1.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford		59.1	+6.7
	Nationalist	Arthur Clerke		40.9	-6.7
	Labor hold		Swing	+6.7

• Two party preferred vote was estimated.

1927 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Arthur Drakeford	10,196	52.4
	Nationalist	Robert Gilbertson	9,254	47.6
Total formal votes			19,450	99.3
Informal votes			144	0.7
Turnout			19,594	94.8
	Labor hold		Swing

1924 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Frank Keane	12,375	55.0	+10.9
	Nationalist	Thomas Ryan	10,106	45.0	-10.9
Total formal votes			22,481	99.6	-0.1
Informal votes			96	0.4	+0.1
Turnout			22,577	61.0	+2.9
	Labor gain from Nationalist		Swing	+10.9

1921 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Nationalist	Thomas Ryan	10,254	55.9	-1.4
	Labor	Alexander Taylor	8,093	44.1	+1.4
Total formal votes			18,347	99.7	+0.7
Informal votes			58	0.3	-0.7
Turnout			18,405	58.1	-7.2
	Nationalist hold		Swing	-1.4

1920 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Nationalist	Thomas Ryan	11,607	57.3	+2.2
	Labor	Joseph Murphy	8,661	42.7	-2.2
Total formal votes			20,268	99.0	+1.7
Informal votes			210	1.0	-1.7
Turnout			20,478	65.3	+2.1
	Nationalist hold		Swing	+2.2

Elections in the 1910s

1917 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Nationalist	Thomas Ryan	9,551	55.1	+7.5
	Labor	Maurice Blackburn	7,782	44.9	-7.5
Total formal votes			17,333	97.3	-1.3
Informal votes			473	2.7	+1.3
Turnout			17,806	63.2	+7.1
	Nationalist gain from Labor		Swing	+7.5

1914 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Maurice Blackburn	7,342	52.4	+11.3
	Liberal	Edward Reynolds	6,660	47.6	-11.3
Total formal votes			14,002	98.6	-0.4
Informal votes			195	1.4	+0.4
Turnout			14,197	56.1	-10.1
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+11.3

1911 Victorian state election: Essendon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William Watt	7,134	58.9	+13.5
	Labor	Frank Keane	4,987	41.1	+0.1
Total formal votes			12,121	99.0	-0.6
Informal votes			125	1.0	+0.6
Turnout			12,246	66.2	+14.0
	Liberal hold		Swing	N/A

References

• . Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2011.

1. Essendon District results, Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
2. State Election 2018: Essendon District, VEC.