1898 General Election

Published on May 15, 2022 at 22:46

1895 Election
1901 Election

The 1898 General Election was the eleventh general election to the Ivonian Parliament. The six-term Dominion Party Government led by Ramsey Hawkins faced off against the Conservative Party, under Seward Spalding. The previous election had seen the Dominion Party retain a majority narrowly, despite suffering the loss of four seats. Defending a majority that was built upon a few hundred vote margin in the narrowest marginal seat, it was expected by many that the Dominion Party government that had ruled Ivonia for 18 years had run its course.

This was complicated by the events of June 11, 1896. On that day, a meeting of miners in regional South Yorkshire who were attending the local socialist club gathering was broken up by police. During the police intervention, fighting broke out which quickly turned deadly. After calling upon reinforcements from the Ivonian military and regional guardsmen, the violence was put down but not before the death of dozens of miners and eight policemen. In the aftermath, the Socialist Party of Ivonia was created, drawing upon support from miners and workers unions from across the nation. Substantially further to the left than the Dominion Party, the new party's creation threatened to siphon off votes on the left in a manner similar to the Country Party's existence on the right.

Altogether, it was seen as an inevitability that the Dominion Party government would fall, and senior members of the cabinet announced their retirement heading into the election. The conservative opposition campaigned on law and order, promising to put down the violent gangs that many conservative voters viewed the socialists as. While the Conservative and Country parties competed in every seat, it was generally agreed that the two parties would form a coalition in the event that it became necessary for a conservative majority.

The Dominion Party began the campaign worried about the threat of the Socialist Party, but generally confident that their near two decades in government would incentivize voters to stick with the "party of government", as they put it. It was only late in the campaign that they realized the immense danger that the party was in, as party-conducted surveys of voters across the nation indicated an imminent widespread change in left-of-center voter allegiances. The party threw substantial resources at protecting incumbents in safe seats in order to maintain some parliamentary representation.

Hawkins went to the Governor-General on November 14, 1898, and the election was set for December 12, 1898. The Whitaker Herald pre-election survey found the favorabilities for the parties as 37% in favor of the Country Party, 63% in favor of the Conservative Party, 53% in favor of the Dominion Party and 58% in favor of the Socialist Party. It was clear that all of the established political parties had taken a hit in favorability, in light of changing political winds.

Results

In the end, the results were both expected and a surprise. The Conservative Party easily won a majority after securing 19 of the 25 parliamentary seats. The Dominion Party saw nearly twenty years of government come to catastrophic end, losing all but the Prime Minister's own seat of Lakeville. In Lakeville, Prime Minister Hawkins held on by the narrowest of margins - he prevailed over the Conservative candidate by a mere 75 votes. The newly-founded Socialist Party, created in the aftermath of the Dominion government's heavy-handed response to socialist meetings, wreaked havoc on the Dominion Party's vote share, pushing incumbent MPs into last place in several constituencies. The Country Party, despite the change in government, was able to easily hold their existing South Coast seat, and add to their tally by finally taking South Country.

All in all, the results led to much rejoicing on the political right, for both parties. Across the left, however, recriminations began as soon as the first results came in. Ramsey Hawkins, the only MP left for the Dominion Party, took personal responsibility for the defeat. He remained as the party leader, as he was the only MP still in Parliament. There was much debate as to which party had played the role of spoiler - the Socialist Party had won more seats and a higher share of the vote, but was undoubtedly the newcomer to the political scene.

The Dominion Party government, dominant for so long, was now at an end. Seward Spalding, the Conservative leader, went to the Governor-General on December 14, 1898, and received his commission. He formed the first right-wing government in eighteen years, and faced parliament soon thereafter. With 21 seats going to the right, Spalding would have enormous room to manouver in the coming years.

Summary of Results

Party	Votes	Votes %	Seats	Seats %	Votes Δ	Votes % Δ	Seats Δ	Seats % Δ
Conservative	794,503	33.00%	19	76.00%	-102,903	-4.26%	8	32.00%
Socialist	563,682	23.41%	3	12.00%	563,682	23.41%	3	12.00%
Country	575,902	23.92%	2	8.00%	-8,839	-0.36%	1	4.00%
Dominion	473,697	19.67%	1	4.00%	-453,061	-18.80%	-12	-48.00%

Seats Changing Hands

Seat	Winner	Previous Winner	Swing Required	Two-Party Swing
Enfield	Conservative	Dominion	1.13%	8.68%
Irvington	Conservative	Dominion	1.59%	8.70%
Northampton River	Conservative	Dominion	3.55%	8.76%
Outer Anglia	Conservative	Dominion	0.17%	7.85%
Outer North Bay	Socialist	Dominion	30.01%	32.86%
Port Elizabeth	Socialist	Dominion	23.36%	27.93%
Port of Whitaker	Conservative	Dominion	3.13%	8.90%
Princeton	Conservative	Dominion	4.46%	9.74%
Salem	Socialist	Dominion	22.64%	28.76%
South Country	Country	Conservative	0.11%	2.93%
South York	Conservative	Dominion	0.34%	8.14%
Stanton	Conservative	Dominion	2.35%	8.31%
Whitaker Centre	Conservative	Dominion	1.80%	8.38%

Target Seats by Party

Target Seats for the Conservative Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Lakeville	Westmoreland	Dominion	0.09%
Port Elizabeth	North Bay	Socialist	1.11%
Salem	South Yorkshire	Socialist	1.90%
South Country	Southshore	Country	5.64%
South Coast	Southshore	Country	8.54%
Outer North Bay	North Bay	Socialist	19.31%

Target Seats for the Country Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Sedgwick Country	Southshore	Conservative	8.23%
Madison	Westmoreland	Conservative	9.36%
Westgate Centre	Westmoreland	Conservative	9.69%
Outer Anglia	New Anglia	Conservative	9.79%
Enfield	South Yorkshire	Conservative	9.81%
Upper Coast	Westmoreland	Conservative	10.00%
Bloomington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	10.19%
South York	South Yorkshire	Conservative	10.32%
Whitaker Outer	Southshore	Conservative	10.33%
Irvington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	10.54%
Port Henry	Westmoreland	Conservative	10.56%
Fort William	New Anglia	Conservative	10.67%
Whitaker Centre	Southshore	Conservative	10.70%
Northampton	North Bay	Conservative	10.87%
Port of Whitaker	Southshore	Conservative	11.11%
Lakeville	Westmoreland	Dominion	11.77%
Salem	South Yorkshire	Socialist	12.01%
Port Elizabeth	North Bay	Socialist	12.05%
Princeton	South Yorkshire	Conservative	12.08%
Stanton	Westmoreland	Conservative	12.09%
Northampton River	North Bay	Conservative	12.30%
Sedgwick	Southshore	Conservative	13.85%
Outer North Bay	North Bay	Socialist	27.96%

Target Seats for the Dominion Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Outer North Bay	North Bay	Socialist	5.70%
Port Elizabeth	North Bay	Socialist	9.14%
Westgate Centre	Westmoreland	Conservative	10.37%
Northampton River	North Bay	Conservative	10.41%
Princeton	South Yorkshire	Conservative	10.55%
Port of Whitaker	Southshore	Conservative	11.54%
Stanton	Westmoreland	Conservative	11.93%
Salem	South Yorkshire	Socialist	12.25%
Whitaker Centre	Southshore	Conservative	13.16%
Irvington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	14.22%
Enfield	South Yorkshire	Conservative	15.10%
Outer Anglia	New Anglia	Conservative	15.37%
South York	South Yorkshire	Conservative	15.59%
Fort William	New Anglia	Conservative	16.10%
Madison	Westmoreland	Conservative	16.75%
Bloomington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	16.93%
Port Henry	Westmoreland	Conservative	19.61%
Sedgwick Country	Southshore	Conservative	19.65%
Upper Coast	Westmoreland	Conservative	20.30%
Northampton	North Bay	Conservative	20.33%
Whitaker Outer	Southshore	Conservative	20.52%
South Country	Southshore	Country	20.91%
Sedgwick	Southshore	Conservative	22.23%
South Coast	Southshore	Country	23.58%

Target Seats for the Socialist Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Princeton	South Yorkshire	Conservative	1.88%
Lakeville	Westmoreland	Dominion	3.29%
Port of Whitaker	Southshore	Conservative	5.46%
Northampton River	North Bay	Conservative	5.57%
Irvington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	6.30%
Enfield	South Yorkshire	Conservative	6.68%
Whitaker Centre	Southshore	Conservative	7.92%
Stanton	Westmoreland	Conservative	8.16%
South York	South Yorkshire	Conservative	8.77%
Outer Anglia	New Anglia	Conservative	10.23%
Bloomington	South Yorkshire	Conservative	11.33%
Westgate Centre	Westmoreland	Conservative	11.78%
Madison	Westmoreland	Conservative	12.22%
Fort William	New Anglia	Conservative	13.32%
Sedgwick Country	Southshore	Conservative	15.28%
Port Henry	Westmoreland	Conservative	19.68%
Upper Coast	Westmoreland	Conservative	19.81%
South Coast	Southshore	Country	20.53%
Whitaker Outer	Southshore	Conservative	20.99%
Northampton	North Bay	Conservative	21.43%
South Country	Southshore	Country	22.87%
Sedgwick	Southshore	Conservative	30.42%

Seat Details

Results in Fort William, New Anglia

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	28,898	35.02%	31,883	38.63%	-3.61%
Country	20,095	24.35%	20,367	24.68%	-0.32%
Socialist	17,906	21.70%	0	0.00%	21.70%
Dominion	15,610	18.92%	30,280	36.69%	-17.77%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Fort William, after winning 35.02% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.61%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.67%.

Results in Outer Anglia, New Anglia

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	35,595	33.85%	39,624	37.65%	-3.81%
Country	25,304	24.06%	25,627	24.35%	-0.29%
Socialist	24,839	23.62%	0	0.00%	23.62%
Dominion*	19,432	18.48%	39,979	37.99%	-19.52%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Outer Anglia, after winning 33.85% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.85%, and a relative two-party swing of 14.91%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 0.17%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 9.79%.

Results in Northampton, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	28,045	38.16%	30,209	41.09%	-2.93%
Country	20,054	27.28%	20,240	27.53%	-0.25%
Dominion	13,105	17.83%	23,068	31.38%	-13.55%
Socialist	12,295	16.73%	0	0.00%	16.73%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Northampton, after winning 38.16% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 2.93%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.87%.

Results in Northampton River, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	32,387	32.07%	36,669	36.26%	-4.19%
Socialist	26,762	26.50%	0	0.00%	26.50%
Dominion*	21,874	21.66%	43,859	43.37%	-21.71%
Country	19,966	19.77%	20,603	20.37%	-0.60%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Northampton River, after winning 32.07% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.76%, and a relative two-party swing of 14.15%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 3.55%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.57%.

Results in Outer North Bay, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Socialist	34,287	38.24%	0	0.00%	38.24%
Dominion*	29,178	32.54%	53,849	60.02%	-27.47%
Conservative	16,975	18.93%	25,122	28.00%	-9.07%
Country	9,220	10.28%	10,751	11.98%	-1.70%

The Socialist Party won the seat of Outer North Bay, after winning 38.24% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 32.86%, and a relative two-party swing of 54.03%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 30.01%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.70%.

Results in Port Elizabeth, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Socialist	34,535	30.58%	0	0.00%	30.58%
Conservative	33,278	29.46%	38,639	34.20%	-4.73%
Dominion*	24,209	21.43%	52,787	46.72%	-25.29%
Country	20,921	18.52%	21,556	19.08%	-0.56%

The Socialist Party won the seat of Port Elizabeth, after winning 30.58% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 27.93%, and a relative two-party swing of 58.79%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 23.36%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 1.11%.

Results in Bloomington, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	26,286	34.61%	29,239	38.49%	-3.88%
Country	18,548	24.42%	18,949	24.94%	-0.52%
Socialist	17,682	23.28%	0	0.00%	23.28%
Dominion	13,426	17.68%	27,780	36.57%	-18.89%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Bloomington, after winning 34.61% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.88%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.19%.

Results in Enfield, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	26,246	32.90%	29,604	37.09%	-4.19%
Socialist	20,919	26.22%	0	0.00%	26.22%
Country	18,422	23.09%	18,806	23.56%	-0.47%
Dominion*	14,195	17.79%	31,404	39.35%	-21.55%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Enfield, after winning 32.90% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.68%, and a relative two-party swing of 16.37%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.13%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 6.68%.

Results in Irvington, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	27,023	32.77%	30,563	37.05%	-4.29%
Socialist	21,825	26.46%	0	0.00%	26.46%
Country	18,331	22.23%	18,736	22.71%	-0.49%
Dominion*	15,293	18.54%	33,189	40.23%	-21.69%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Irvington, after winning 32.77% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.70%, and a relative two-party swing of 15.92%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.59%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 6.30%.

Results in Princeton, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	28,578	31.13%	32,805	35.68%	-4.56%
Socialist	26,850	29.24%	0	0.00%	29.24%
Dominion*	18,896	20.58%	41,010	44.61%	-24.03%
Country	17,489	19.05%	18,121	19.71%	-0.66%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Princeton, after winning 31.13% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 9.74%, and a relative two-party swing of 15.75%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 4.46%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 1.88%.

Results in Salem, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Socialist	30,966	31.54%	0	0.00%	31.54%
Conservative	29,104	29.64%	33,960	34.58%	-4.94%
Country	19,173	19.53%	19,777	20.14%	-0.61%
Dominion*	18,941	19.29%	44,468	45.28%	-25.99%

The Socialist Party won the seat of Salem, after winning 31.54% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 28.76%, and a relative two-party swing of 62.05%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 22.64%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 1.90%.

Results in South York, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	39,272	33.67%	44,028	37.74%	-4.07%
Socialist	29,047	24.90%	0	0.00%	24.90%
Country	27,233	23.35%	27,807	23.83%	-0.49%
Dominion*	21,089	18.08%	44,833	38.43%	-20.35%

The Conservative Party won the seat of South York, after winning 33.67% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.14%, and a relative two-party swing of 15.51%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 0.34%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 8.77%.

Results in Port of Whitaker, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	40,498	32.03%	45,765	36.19%	-4.16%
Socialist	33,594	26.57%	0	0.00%	26.57%
Country	26,447	20.92%	27,030	21.37%	-0.46%
Dominion*	25,902	20.49%	53,670	42.44%	-21.95%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Port of Whitaker, after winning 32.03% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.90%, and a relative two-party swing of 14.97%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 3.13%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.46%.

Results in Sedgwick, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	21,106	41.63%	22,234	43.83%	-2.21%
Country	14,082	27.77%	14,243	28.08%	-0.31%
Dominion	9,834	19.39%	14,247	28.09%	-8.69%
Socialist	5,682	11.21%	0	0.00%	11.21%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Sedgwick, after winning 41.63% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 2.21%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 13.85%.

Results in Sedgwick Country, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	31,913	35.79%	34,975	39.19%	-3.40%
Country	24,575	27.56%	24,742	27.72%	-0.16%
Socialist	18,291	20.51%	0	0.00%	20.51%
Dominion	14,391	16.14%	29,535	33.09%	-16.95%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Sedgwick Country, after winning 35.79% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.40%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 8.23%.

Results in South Coast, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	39,518	38.16%	37,840	36.51%	1.65%
Conservative	30,673	29.62%	35,591	34.34%	-4.72%
Socialist	18,263	17.64%	0	0.00%	17.64%
Dominion	15,100	14.58%	30,214	29.15%	-14.57%

The Country Party won the seat of South Coast, after winning 38.16% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 1.65%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 8.54%.

Results in South Country, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	35,524	37.35%	34,078	35.81%	1.54%
Conservative*	30,164	31.72%	34,296	36.04%	-4.33%
Dominion	15,642	16.45%	26,777	28.14%	-11.69%
Socialist	13,771	14.48%	0	0.00%	14.48%

The Country Party won the seat of South Country, after winning 37.35% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Conservative Party after a swing of 2.93%, and a relative two-party swing of 4.24%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 0.11%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 5.64%.

Results in Whitaker Centre, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	43,067	32.94%	48,229	36.89%	-3.94%
Socialist	32,711	25.02%	0	0.00%	25.02%
Country	29,085	22.25%	29,581	22.62%	-0.37%
Dominion*	25,862	19.78%	52,942	40.49%	-20.71%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Whitaker Centre, after winning 32.94% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.38%, and a relative two-party swing of 14.81%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.80%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 7.92%.

Results in Whitaker Outer, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	36,901	37.96%	39,824	40.96%	-3.00%
Country	26,857	27.63%	27,136	27.91%	-0.28%
Dominion	16,951	17.44%	30,268	31.13%	-13.69%
Socialist	16,498	16.97%	0	0.00%	16.97%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Whitaker Outer, after winning 37.96% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.00%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.33%.

Results in Lakeville, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Dominion*	23,231	28.79%	36,901	45.72%	-16.93%
Conservative	23,156	28.69%	28,779	35.66%	-6.96%
Socialist	20,576	25.50%	0	0.00%	25.50%
Country	13,736	17.02%	15,029	18.62%	-1.60%

The Dominion Party won the seat of Lakeville, after winning 28.79% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 16.93%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 0.09%.

Results in Madison, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	23,837	34.58%	26,376	38.26%	-3.68%
Country	17,388	25.23%	17,599	25.53%	-0.30%
Socialist	15,416	22.37%	0	0.00%	22.37%
Dominion	12,288	17.83%	24,968	36.22%	-18.39%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Madison, after winning 34.58% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.68%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 9.36%.

Results in Port Henry, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	48,225	37.46%	52,193	40.53%	-3.07%
Country	34,632	26.90%	34,903	27.10%	-0.20%
Dominion	22,986	17.86%	41,691	32.37%	-14.52%
Socialist	22,890	17.78%	0	0.00%	17.78%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Port Henry, after winning 37.46% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.07%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.56%.

Results in Stanton, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative	26,404	33.04%	29,540	36.96%	-3.91%
Socialist	19,886	24.89%	0	0.00%	24.89%
Dominion*	16,870	21.11%	33,295	41.66%	-20.54%
Country	16,745	20.96%	17,091	21.38%	-0.43%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Stanton, after winning 33.04% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 8.31%, and a relative two-party swing of 14.00%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 2.35%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 8.16%.

Results in Upper Coast, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	44,816	37.53%	48,482	40.57%	-3.04%
Country	32,869	27.52%	33,132	27.72%	-0.20%
Socialist	21,162	17.72%	0	0.00%	17.72%
Dominion	20,569	17.22%	37,890	31.71%	-14.48%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Upper Coast, after winning 37.53% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 3.04%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.00%.

Results in Westgate Centre, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Conservative*	42,056	32.96%	48,777	38.22%	-5.26%
Country	29,688	23.27%	30,997	24.29%	-1.02%
Dominion	28,823	22.59%	47,854	37.49%	-14.91%
Socialist	27,029	21.18%	0	0.00%	21.18%

The Conservative Party won the seat of Westgate Centre, after winning 32.96% of the vote. They held the seat despite a fall in their share of the vote by 5.26%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 9.69%.