1947 Avon by-election

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1947 Avon by-election
← 1946 general 28 May 1947 (1947-05-28) 1949 general →
Turnout13,035 (84.43%)
  John Mathison, 1959.jpg No image.png
Candidate John Mathison Robert Alexander McDowell
Party Labour National
Popular vote 8,513 4,422
Percentage 65.31 33.92
Member before election

Dan Sullivan
Labour

Elected Member

John Mathison
Labour

The 1947 Avon by-election was a by-election held during the 28th New Zealand Parliament in the Christchurch electorate of Avon. The by-election occurred following the death of MP Dan Sullivan and was won by John Mathison.

Background[]

Dan Sullivan, who was first elected to represent Avon for the Labour Party in 1919, died on 8 April 1947.[1] This triggered the Avon by-election, which occurred on 28 May 1947.[2]

John Mathison was the candidate for the Labour Party. He was selected over five other aspirants; Nurse A. Mackwell, A. J. Jones, Archie Grant, George Manning and Alan Williams.[3]

Robert Alexander McDowell was the candidate for the National Party and John Ramby Robertson was an independent candidate. Robertson was a member of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) but his nomination was refused endorsement by DLP leader John A. Lee.[4] Robertson had stood unsuccessfully as a DLP candidate for the Christchurch City Council in 1944.[5]

Mathison obtained 65.31% of the votes and was successful.[6]

Previous election[]

1946 general election: Avon[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Sullivan 9,539 68.64
National Robert Alexander McDowell 4,359 31.36
Majority 5,180 37.27
Turnout 13,898 92.74

Results[]

The following table gives the election results:

1947 Avon by-election[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Mathison 8,513 65.31
National Robert Alexander McDowell 4,422 33.92 +2.56
Independent John Ramby Robertson 100 0.77
Majority 4,091 31.38 −5.89
Turnout 13,035 84.43 −9.31
Labour hold Swing −3.33

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Watson, James (updated 22 June 2007). "Sullivan, Daniel Giles 1882 - 1947". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  2. ^ Norton 1988, p. 3.
  3. ^ "Six Labour Nominees". LXXV (14355). Bay of Plenty Times. 3 May 1947. p. 3 – via Papers Past.
  4. ^ "Avon By-Election". LXXII (26109). Evening Star. 24 May 1947. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  5. ^ "Christchurch City Council". The Press. LXXX (24278). 8 June 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 15 February 2020 – via Papers Past.
  6. ^ a b c Norton 1988, p. 195.

References[]

  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.


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