1904 General Election

Published on May 22, 2022 at 09:15

1903 Election
1907 Election

The 1904 General Election was the fourteenth general election to the Ivonian Parliament. The incumbent Country Party government, led by Marcus Henson, sought to win re-election after their decisive win the year before.

The previous election had seen the Country Party wipe out the Conservative Party for control of the nation's right-of-center seats, by winning every one of the latter's seats. In the aftermath of the election, the Conservative Party was led adrift, as they had lost a third of their voters overnight.

The conservative movement had splintered years before after the hard-line and uncompromising ideology of Harvey Harris at the helm of the Country Party. He had remained leader of the Country Party throughout the years of the conservative split, preventing a harmonious re-unification of the parties. With the Country Party's unexpectedly decisive victory in 1903, Harris gave way for a younger party figure to become Prime Minister. Marcus Henson was a far less divisive figure on the right. As he solidified his position, he was able to take a leading role in steering the party's direction. Within months of the victory, he had begun negotiations behind the scenes to unify the Conservative and Country parties. These negotiations bore fruit in April 1904, with the announcement of the re-unification of the right. Various seats would be allocated for MPs and former MPs of the two parties, with the liberal and conservative factions of the right forming within the resulting party. In the process, the Country Party's party ideology would moderate ever so slightly, moving it closer to the Conservative Party's ideology.

Although these negotiations had gone on for months behind closed doors, the broader public was not aware of these negotiations. This announcement caught them by surprise, although there was a desire for increased stability in Ivonian politics. The political left was also caught off-guard, but had no time to react. Keen on showing the strength of the unified right, Marcus Henson called an early election mere months after his previous victory, calling an election for June 1904 - the first winter election in Ivonian election.

Henson went to the Governor-General on May 16, 1904, and the election was set for June 20, 1904.

The Whitaker Herald survey found the favorabilities for the parties as 47% in favor of the Country Party, 51% in favor of the Dominion Party and 47% in favor of the Socialist Party. With a small deterioration in the Dominion Party's favorability and a small improvement in the Socialist Party's favorability, the left remained as divided as ever.

Results

The Country Party won a decisive victory, justifying Marcus Henson's decision to call an early election. The political right solidified their control over government, winning 24 out of the 25 seats in the Ivonian Parliament. The Dominion Party, suffering from a very slight swing away against them, lost all five seats they controlled as the split on the left ensured that that the Country Party easily raced ahead of them.

Overall, the Country Party won a majority of the votes in a majority of the seats, but only barely. In 13 seats, the Country Party won more than 50% of the vote. In the other 11 seats, the Country Party was able to win based on the split on the left, once again highlighting the danger of the split vote.

Unlike the ease with which the right was able to unify, the left was split primarily on ideological grounds and not on the question of leadership and tactics. This meant that there would be foundational issues to work through before the left could find common ground, although there were calls for an electoral pact on the left to reduce split campaigns in competitive seats.

Summary of Results

Party	Votes	Votes %	Seats	Seats %	Votes Δ	Votes % Δ	Seats Δ	Seats % Δ
Country	1,194,209	49.57%	24	96.00%	372,393	15.45%	5	20.00%
Socialist	545,851	22.66%	1	4.00%	67,038	2.78%	0	0.00%
Dominion	669,004	27.77%	0	0.00%	-5,677	-0.25%	-5	-20.00%

Seats Changing Hands

Seat	Winner	Previous Winner	Swing Required	Two-Party Swing
Lakeville	Country	Dominion	3.46%	7.13%
Northampton River	Country	Dominion	1.13%	7.40%
Port Elizabeth	Country	Dominion	1.95%	7.00%
Princeton	Country	Dominion	1.85%	7.14%
Salem	Country	Dominion	0.53%	7.20%

Target Seats by Party

Target Seats for the Country Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Outer North Bay	North Bay	Socialist	16.10%

Target Seats for the Dominion Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Lakeville	Westmoreland	Country	7.33%
Outer North Bay	North Bay	Socialist	9.24%
Port Elizabeth	North Bay	Country	10.10%
Princeton	South Yorkshire	Country	10.58%
Northampton River	North Bay	Country	12.53%
Salem	South Yorkshire	Country	13.34%
Stanton	Westmoreland	Country	15.04%
Port of Whitaker	Southshore	Country	15.82%
Whitaker Centre	Southshore	Country	19.31%
Irvington	South Yorkshire	Country	19.56%
Enfield	South Yorkshire	Country	22.18%
South York	South Yorkshire	Country	22.33%
Westgate Centre	Westmoreland	Country	23.44%
Outer Anglia	New Anglia	Country	24.34%
Fort William	New Anglia	Country	24.34%
Bloomington	South Yorkshire	Country	25.25%
Madison	Westmoreland	Country	27.54%
Port Henry	Westmoreland	Country	30.48%
Sedgwick	Southshore	Country	30.51%
Northampton	North Bay	Country	31.07%
Whitaker Outer	Southshore	Country	32.37%
Upper Coast	Westmoreland	Country	32.53%
South Country	Southshore	Country	32.94%
Sedgwick Country	Southshore	Country	33.78%
South Coast	Southshore	Country	36.77%

Target Seats for the Socialist Party

Seat	Province	Current Holder	Raw Margin
Port Elizabeth	North Bay	Country	10.68%
Lakeville	Westmoreland	Country	13.29%
Salem	South Yorkshire	Country	13.33%
Princeton	South Yorkshire	Country	15.05%
Northampton River	North Bay	Country	17.76%
Port of Whitaker	Southshore	Country	19.27%
Stanton	Westmoreland	Country	21.21%
Whitaker Centre	Southshore	Country	23.24%
Irvington	South Yorkshire	Country	23.56%
Enfield	South Yorkshire	Country	25.19%
South York	South Yorkshire	Country	27.06%
Outer Anglia	New Anglia	Country	27.87%
Westgate Centre	Westmoreland	Country	29.11%
Fort William	New Anglia	Country	30.70%
Bloomington	South Yorkshire	Country	30.70%
Madison	Westmoreland	Country	31.14%
Sedgwick Country	Southshore	Country	37.29%
Port Henry	Westmoreland	Country	39.33%
Upper Coast	Westmoreland	Country	40.57%
Northampton	North Bay	Country	41.48%
Whitaker Outer	Southshore	Country	41.64%
South Coast	Southshore	Country	42.53%
South Country	Southshore	Country	45.35%
Sedgwick	Southshore	Country	49.32%

Seat Details

Results in Fort William, New Anglia

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	42,654	51.68%	29,380	35.61%	16.07%
Dominion	22,563	27.34%	22,698	27.51%	-0.17%
Socialist	17,318	20.98%	15,141	18.35%	2.63%

The Country Party won the seat of Fort William, after winning 51.68% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 16.07%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 24.34%.

Results in Outer Anglia, New Anglia

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	53,391	50.74%	37,168	35.33%	15.40%
Dominion	27,780	26.40%	28,294	26.90%	-0.50%
Socialist	24,064	22.87%	21,094	20.05%	2.81%

The Country Party won the seat of Outer Anglia, after winning 50.74% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.40%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 24.34%.

Results in Northampton, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	42,286	57.52%	29,308	39.88%	17.64%
Dominion	19,441	26.44%	19,075	25.96%	0.49%
Socialist	11,793	16.04%	10,283	13.99%	2.05%

The Country Party won the seat of Northampton, after winning 57.52% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 17.64%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 31.07%.

Results in Northampton River, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	43,923	43.43%	29,317	29.00%	14.43%
Dominion*	31,249	30.90%	31,602	31.26%	-0.36%
Socialist	25,963	25.67%	22,719	22.47%	3.20%

The Country Party won the seat of Northampton River, after winning 43.43% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.40%, and a relative two-party swing of 10.31%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.13%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 12.53%.

Results in Outer North Bay, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Socialist*	37,495	41.78%	33,210	37.03%	4.75%
Dominion	29,203	32.54%	31,228	34.82%	-2.28%
Country	23,047	25.68%	14,722	16.41%	9.27%

The Socialist Party won the seat of Outer North Bay, after winning 41.78% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 4.75%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 9.24%.

Results in Port Elizabeth, North Bay

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	45,495	40.26%	30,616	27.10%	13.16%
Dominion*	34,083	30.16%	35,014	31.00%	-0.83%
Socialist	33,424	29.58%	29,561	26.17%	3.41%

The Country Party won the seat of Port Elizabeth, after winning 40.26% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.00%, and a relative two-party swing of 10.52%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.95%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.10%.

Results in Bloomington, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	39,489	51.98%	27,398	36.08%	15.91%
Dominion	20,308	26.73%	20,391	26.85%	-0.12%
Socialist	16,169	21.28%	14,219	18.72%	2.56%

The Country Party won the seat of Bloomington, after winning 51.98% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.91%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 25.25%.

Results in Enfield, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	39,208	49.13%	27,144	34.02%	15.10%
Dominion	21,502	26.94%	21,962	27.53%	-0.59%
Socialist	19,102	23.93%	16,775	21.03%	2.91%

The Country Party won the seat of Enfield, after winning 49.13% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.10%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 22.18%.

Results in Irvington, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	39,356	47.71%	27,009	32.75%	14.96%
Dominion	23,218	28.15%	23,576	28.59%	-0.44%
Socialist	19,919	24.15%	17,446	21.15%	2.99%

The Country Party won the seat of Irvington, after winning 47.71% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 14.96%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 19.56%.

Results in Princeton, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	38,504	41.88%	25,653	27.91%	13.97%
Dominion*	28,773	31.29%	29,048	31.60%	-0.31%
Socialist	24,667	26.83%	21,674	23.58%	3.25%

The Country Party won the seat of Princeton, after winning 41.88% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.14%, and a relative two-party swing of 10.34%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 1.85%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 10.58%.

Results in Salem, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	41,422	42.22%	28,286	28.81%	13.41%
Socialist	28,346	28.89%	25,033	25.50%	3.40%
Dominion*	28,339	28.89%	29,331	29.87%	-0.99%

The Country Party won the seat of Salem, after winning 42.22% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.20%, and a relative two-party swing of 10.28%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 0.53%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 13.33%.

Results in South York, South Yorkshire

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	58,095	49.80%	40,155	34.43%	15.37%
Dominion	32,049	27.47%	32,189	27.60%	-0.13%
Socialist	26,523	22.73%	23,359	20.03%	2.71%

The Country Party won the seat of South York, after winning 49.80% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.37%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 22.33%.

Results in Port of Whitaker, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	56,959	45.03%	38,654	30.57%	14.46%
Dominion	36,952	29.21%	37,779	29.88%	-0.66%
Socialist	32,583	25.76%	28,470	22.51%	3.24%

The Country Party won the seat of Port of Whitaker, after winning 45.03% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 14.46%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 15.82%.

Results in Sedgwick, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	30,410	59.94%	20,638	40.70%	19.25%
Dominion	14,932	29.43%	14,038	27.68%	1.75%
Socialist	5,388	10.62%	4,633	9.14%	1.48%

The Country Party won the seat of Sedgwick, after winning 59.94% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 19.25%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 30.51%.

Results in Sedgwick Country, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	50,900	57.02%	36,158	40.54%	16.49%
Dominion	20,746	23.24%	21,043	23.59%	-0.35%
Socialist	17,616	19.74%	15,553	17.44%	2.30%

The Country Party won the seat of Sedgwick Country, after winning 57.02% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 16.49%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 33.78%.

Results in South Coast, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	61,965	59.77%	43,972	42.45%	17.32%
Dominion	23,842	23.00%	23,956	23.13%	-0.13%
Socialist	17,868	17.23%	15,644	15.10%	2.13%

The Country Party won the seat of South Coast, after winning 59.77% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 17.32%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 36.77%.

Results in South Country, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	56,577	59.43%	39,129	41.14%	18.30%
Dominion	25,217	26.49%	24,473	25.73%	0.76%
Socialist	13,402	14.08%	11,641	12.24%	1.84%

The Country Party won the seat of South Country, after winning 59.43% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 18.30%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 32.94%.

Results in Whitaker Centre, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	62,132	47.51%	42,604	32.59%	14.92%
Dominion	36,887	28.21%	37,466	28.66%	-0.45%
Socialist	31,748	24.28%	27,870	21.32%	2.96%

The Country Party won the seat of Whitaker Centre, after winning 47.51% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 14.92%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 19.31%.

Results in Whitaker Outer, Southshore

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	56,392	58.00%	39,541	40.68%	17.33%
Dominion	24,918	25.63%	24,372	25.07%	0.56%
Socialist	15,910	16.36%	13,893	14.29%	2.07%

The Country Party won the seat of Whitaker Outer, after winning 58.00% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 17.33%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 32.37%.

Results in Lakeville, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country	32,456	40.21%	21,141	26.20%	14.00%
Dominion*	26,538	32.88%	26,730	33.13%	-0.25%
Socialist	21,728	26.92%	19,028	23.58%	3.33%

The Country Party won the seat of Lakeville, after winning 40.21% of the vote. They gained the seat from the Dominion Party after a swing of 7.13%, and a relative two-party swing of 10.85%. This was enough to exceed the required two-party swing of 3.46%; the seat now sits on a raw margin of 7.33%.

Results in Madison, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	36,476	52.90%	25,587	37.12%	15.78%
Dominion	17,483	25.35%	17,759	25.76%	-0.41%
Socialist	15,000	21.75%	13,155	19.08%	2.67%

The Country Party won the seat of Madison, after winning 52.90% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.78%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 27.54%.

Results in Port Henry, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	72,910	56.60%	50,775	39.44%	17.16%
Dominion	33,647	26.12%	33,183	25.78%	0.34%
Socialist	22,253	17.28%	19,395	15.07%	2.21%

The Country Party won the seat of Port Henry, after winning 56.60% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 17.16%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 30.48%.

Results in Stanton, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	36,302	45.42%	24,388	30.52%	14.90%
Dominion	24,277	30.37%	24,337	30.46%	-0.08%
Socialist	19,352	24.21%	16,977	21.25%	2.97%

The Country Party won the seat of Stanton, after winning 45.42% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 14.90%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 15.04%.

Results in Upper Coast, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	68,961	57.70%	48,276	40.42%	17.29%
Dominion	30,079	25.17%	29,878	25.01%	0.15%
Socialist	20,471	17.13%	17,816	14.92%	2.21%

The Country Party won the seat of Upper Coast, after winning 57.70% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 17.29%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 32.53%.

Results in Westgate Centre, Westmoreland

Party	Votes	Percent	Previous Votes	Previous Percent	Percent Change
Country*	64,899	50.85%	44,797	35.10%	15.75%
Dominion	34,978	27.41%	35,259	27.63%	-0.22%
Socialist	27,749	21.74%	24,224	18.98%	2.76%

The Country Party won the seat of Westgate Centre, after winning 50.85% of the vote. They held the seat and saw their share of the vote increase by 15.75%. The seat now sits on a raw margin of 23.44%.