Published on April 25, 2022 at 21:48
1877 ElectionThe 1880 General Election was the fifth general election to the Ivonian Parliament. The two-term Country Party Government, led by Joseph Bissett, fought for re-election against the Dominion Party. The previous election had been the first following a major seat redistribution and saw gains in the number of seats won for both parties. The Prime Minister, Joseph Bissett, went to the Governor-General on November 15, 1880 to request the dissolution of Parliament, and the election was called for December 20th.
The Dominion Party entered the 1880 campaign with a strong sense of unity and purpose. The six years it had spent out of government gave it the time to move away from the party of personality it had been under Arthur Cartwright, and towards a coherent set of principles and policies for which it stood. The biggest promises that the Dominion Party made to the electorate were focused on infrastructure. The Country Party had won government in 1874 on the back of its grand promise to build a national railway, and the Dominion Party was keen to repeat the feat. Its leader, James Sadler, gave a speech to the Whitaker Chamber of Commerce in May 1880 promising the expansion of the railway into corner of the nation, but promised additional investment into expanding the nation's ports and urban infrastructure. The population of the nation's cities had grown substantially over the previous decade, with tens of thousands more residents living in the big cities, without an equivalent increase in the sanitation and transportation infrastructure to compensate.
In contrast, the Country Party Government appeared to be a spent force. Although they too promised additional investment into infrastructure, these plans were hampered by poor communication by government ministers. The promises they made seemed to contradict each other, and it was viewed by the public that far more was promised than was possible to achieve with the money alotted.
On the eve of the count, the Whitaker Herald recorded a favorability rating of 54% for the Country Party, and 67% for the Dominion Party. It would be the first time that the Dominion Party had ever bested the Country Party in the Herald's survey, and left party insiders buoyant.
The Dominion Party won the election, returning to government after six years in the opposition. They won based on a national swing of 5.7%, which delivered eight seats to their tally, including the South Yorkshire seat of Princeton after an unexpectedly large swing of 9.5% in that seat. The Country Party was reduced to seven seats, although they did win a majority of the votes and seats in Southshore despite their poor performance elsewhere.
James Sadler, the new Prime Minister, comfortably won his own seat of Outer North Bay on a margin of nearly twenty-five percent. Joseph Bissett, the outgoing Prime Minister, comfortably won his own seat of Upper Coast with a margin of five percent. The Country Party found itself needing a swing of approximately 1.9% in the new Parliament, in order to win back government.
James Sadler went to the Governor-General on December 21st to receive his commission as Prime Mininster, and Parliament met for the first time on January 3, 1881. Joseph Bissett announced his retirement from politics soon thereafter, in March of 1881, having served as Prime Minister for three terms across two governments, as well as Ivonia's first Prime Minister.
| Party | Votes | Votes % | Seats | Seats % | Votes Δ | Votes % Δ | Seats Δ | Seats % Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 1,027,450 | 52.75% | 14 | 66.67% | 106,122 | 5.69% | 8 | 38.10% |
| Country | 920,270 | 47.25% | 7 | 33.33% | -116,103 | -5.69% | -8 | -38.10% |
| Seat | Winner | Previous Winner | Swing Required | Two-Party Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort William | Dominion | Country | 5.02% | 5.44% |
| Northampton | Dominion | Country | 4.62% | 5.84% |
| Outer Anglia | Dominion | Country | 3.31% | 5.17% |
| Princeton | Dominion | Country | 1.18% | 9.47% |
| South York | Dominion | Country | 2.92% | 5.55% |
| Westgate Centre | Dominion | Country | 3.88% | 5.48% |
| Whitaker Centre | Dominion | Country | 1.58% | 5.40% |
| York Country | Dominion | Country | 2.57% | 5.30% |
| Seat | Province | Current Holder | Raw Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort William | New Anglia | Dominion | 0.83% |
| Northampton | North Bay | Dominion | 2.43% |
| Westgate Centre | Westmoreland | Dominion | 3.19% |
| Outer Anglia | New Anglia | Dominion | 3.73% |
| South York | South Yorkshire | Dominion | 5.26% |
| York Country | South Yorkshire | Dominion | 5.47% |
| Whitaker Centre | Southshore | Dominion | 7.64% |
| Stanton | Westmoreland | Dominion | 14.18% |
| Port of Whitaker | Southshore | Dominion | 14.96% |
| Princeton | South Yorkshire | Dominion | 16.58% |
| Salem | South Yorkshire | Dominion | 19.31% |
| Lakeville | Westmoreland | Dominion | 24.81% |
| Port Elizabeth | North Bay | Dominion | 25.18% |
| Outer North Bay | North Bay | Dominion | 49.39% |
| Seat | Province | Current Holder | Raw Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | Westmoreland | Country | 1.53% |
| Sedgwick | Southshore | Country | 5.39% |
| Port Henry | Westmoreland | Country | 8.13% |
| Upper Coast | Westmoreland | Country | 10.02% |
| Whitaker Outer | Southshore | Country | 10.66% |
| South Coast | Southshore | Country | 14.77% |
| South Country | Southshore | Country | 17.06% |
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 34,255 | 50.41% | 30,559 | 44.98% | 5.44% |
| Country* | 33,693 | 49.59% | 37,383 | 55.02% | -5.44% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Fort William, after winning 50.41% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.44%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 5.02%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 0.83%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 46,095 | 51.86% | 41,501 | 46.69% | 5.17% |
| Country* | 42,780 | 48.14% | 47,376 | 53.31% | -5.17% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Outer Anglia, after winning 51.86% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.17%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 3.31%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 3.73%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 60,257 | 51.22% | 53,385 | 45.38% | 5.84% |
| Country* | 57,394 | 48.78% | 64,267 | 54.62% | -5.84% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Northampton, after winning 51.22% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.84%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 4.62%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 2.43%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 65,531 | 74.70% | 61,034 | 69.57% | 5.13% |
| Country | 22,198 | 25.30% | 26,695 | 30.43% | -5.13% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Outer North Bay, after winning 74.70% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 5.13%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 49.39%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 54,985 | 62.59% | 50,315 | 57.28% | 5.31% |
| Country | 32,864 | 37.41% | 37,529 | 42.72% | -5.31% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Port Elizabeth, after winning 62.59% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 5.31%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 25.18%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 71,887 | 58.29% | 65,093 | 48.82% | 9.47% |
| Country* | 51,435 | 41.71% | 68,229 | 51.18% | -9.47% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Princeton, after winning 58.29% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 9.47%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.18%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 16.58%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 43,259 | 59.65% | 39,451 | 54.40% | 5.25% |
| Country | 29,259 | 40.35% | 33,068 | 45.60% | -5.25% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Salem, after winning 59.65% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 5.25%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 19.31%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 44,757 | 52.63% | 40,038 | 47.08% | 5.55% |
| Country* | 40,282 | 47.37% | 45,002 | 52.92% | -5.55% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of South York, after winning 52.63% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.55%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 2.92%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.26%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 59,744 | 52.73% | 53,738 | 47.43% | 5.30% |
| Country* | 53,547 | 47.27% | 59,551 | 52.57% | -5.30% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of York Country, after winning 52.73% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.30%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 2.57%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.47%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 59,745 | 57.48% | 54,212 | 52.16% | 5.32% |
| Country | 44,192 | 42.52% | 49,724 | 47.84% | -5.32% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Port of Whitaker, after winning 57.48% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 5.32%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 14.96%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 50,808 | 52.70% | 56,301 | 58.39% | -5.70% |
| Dominion | 45,610 | 47.30% | 40,114 | 41.61% | 5.70% |
The Country Party won the seat of Sedgwick, after winning 52.70% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.70%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.39%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 49,162 | 57.39% | 53,385 | 62.32% | -4.93% |
| Dominion | 36,505 | 42.61% | 32,278 | 37.68% | 4.93% |
The Country Party won the seat of South Coast, after winning 57.39% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 4.93%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 14.77%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 59,180 | 58.53% | 64,843 | 64.13% | -5.60% |
| Dominion | 41,934 | 41.47% | 36,266 | 35.87% | 5.60% |
The Country Party won the seat of South Country, after winning 58.53% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.60%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 17.06%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 58,049 | 53.82% | 52,226 | 48.42% | 5.40% |
| Country* | 49,808 | 46.18% | 55,633 | 51.58% | -5.40% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Whitaker Centre, after winning 53.82% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.40%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.58%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 7.64%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 46,200 | 55.33% | 50,666 | 60.68% | -5.35% |
| Dominion | 37,298 | 44.67% | 32,834 | 39.32% | 5.35% |
The Country Party won the seat of Whitaker Outer, after winning 55.33% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.35%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.66%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 43,154 | 62.41% | 38,858 | 56.19% | 6.21% |
| Country | 25,997 | 37.59% | 30,292 | 43.81% | -6.21% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Lakeville, after winning 62.41% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 6.21%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 24.81%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 30,334 | 50.77% | 33,370 | 55.85% | -5.08% |
| Dominion | 29,419 | 49.23% | 26,384 | 44.15% | 5.08% |
The Country Party won the seat of Madison, after winning 50.77% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.08%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 1.53%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 60,596 | 54.06% | 66,851 | 59.64% | -5.58% |
| Dominion | 51,485 | 45.94% | 45,233 | 40.36% | 5.58% |
The Country Party won the seat of Port Henry, after winning 54.06% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.58%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 8.13%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion* | 39,637 | 57.09% | 35,533 | 51.18% | 5.91% |
| Country | 29,794 | 42.91% | 33,898 | 48.82% | -5.91% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Stanton, after winning 57.09% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 5.91%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 14.18%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country* | 57,281 | 55.01% | 62,795 | 60.31% | -5.30% |
| Dominion | 46,851 | 44.99% | 41,333 | 39.69% | 5.30% |
The Country Party won the seat of Upper Coast, after winning 55.01% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.30%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.02%.
| Party | Votes | Percent | Previous Votes | Previous Percent | Percent Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion | 56,993 | 51.60% | 50,943 | 46.12% | 5.48% |
| Country* | 53,466 | 48.40% | 59,515 | 53.88% | -5.48% |
The Dominion Party won the seat of Westgate Centre, after winning 51.60% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Country Party after a two-party swing of 5.48%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 3.88%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 3.19%.