1920 Ballaarat by-election

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Ballaarat on 10 July 1920.

1920 Ballaarat by-election

10 July 1920

First party Second party   Candidate Charles McGrath Edwin Kerby Party Labor Nationalist Popular vote 15,058 11,443 Percentage 51.7% 39.3% Swing 1.7pp 10.7pp TPP 56.1% 45.9% TPP swing 6.1pp 6.1pp

MP before election Charles McGrath Labor Elected MP Charles McGrath Labor

At the 1919 federal election, Nationalist candidate Edwin Kerby had defeated the sitting Labor MP, Charles McGrath, by a single vote, the narrowest margin in Australian electoral history. McGrath challenged the result successfully on the grounds of electoral irregularities, triggering the by-election, at which McGrath was victorious.

Results

Ballaarat by-election, 1920

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Charles McGrath	15,058	51.7	1.7
	Nationalist	Edwin Kerby	11,443	39.3	−10.7
	Farmers	John Troup	2,413	8.3	8.3
	Independent	Edward Callow	186	0.6	0.6
Total formal votes			29,100	99.3
Informal votes			214	0.7
Turnout			29,314	76.7	−5.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Charles McGrath		56.1	6.1
	Nationalist	Edwin Kerby		45.9	−6.1
	Labor gain from Nationalist		Swing	6.1