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Cowper — Australian Federal Election Results

Compiled by EveryElectionResult.com's data team · Last updated 2026-08-30

Cowper was won by Pat Conaghan (National) at the 2019 federal election, with a margin of 14,336 votes over Rob Oakeshott after preferences. This page covers every federal election in Cowper from 1901 to 2019.

Australia uses instant-runoff (preferential) voting: voters rank candidates in order of preference, and if no one has a majority of first-preference votes, the lowest-placed candidate is eliminated and their votes redistributed to voters' next preference, repeating until one candidate has a majority. The "Winner" and "Margin" below reflect the final result after preferences (equivalent to the AEC's own two-candidate-preferred figure) — not simply whoever led on first preferences, which can occasionally be a different candidate.

Full Election History (After Preferences), 1901–2019

Election Winner Party Final Votes Final Share Runner-up Margin
1901 Francis Clarke Prot 3,267 53.3% Ralph Davidson (FT) 401 (6.5 pts)
1903 Henry Lee FT 7,456 63.0% Francis Clarke (Prot) 3,072 (25.9 pts)
1906 John Thomson Prot 4,794 51.0% Henry Lee (AS) 192 (2.0 pts)
1910 John Thomson Liberal 8,686 70.2% Clement Johnson (Labor) 4,994 (40.3 pts)
1913 John Thomson Liberal 17,152 72.2% Cornelius Hogan (Labor) 10,532 (44.3 pts)
1914 John Thomson Liberal -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1917 John Thomson National -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1919 Earle Page F&S 11,372 66.6% Ross Pryor (Labor) 5,660 (33.1 pts)
1922 Earle Page Country Party 13,157 67.3% John Thomson (National) 6,759 (34.6 pts)
1925 Earle Page Country Party 24,571 70.0% Easton Lockhart (Labor) 14,061 (40.1 pts)
1928 Earle Page Country Party 27,556 76.8% Thomas Swiney (Labor) 19,220 (53.5 pts)
1929 Earle Page Country Party -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1931 Earle Page Country Party 29,266 82.0% John Cusack (Labor) 22,849 (64.0 pts)
1934 Earle Page Country Party 30,924 75.0% Timothy Mccristal (Labor) 20,603 (50.0 pts)
1937 Earle Page Country Party 32,000 63.2% Abraham Brindley (Labor) 13,354 (26.4 pts)
1940 Earle Page Country Party 27,773 71.0% Myles Kelly (Labor) 16,423 (42.0 pts)
1943 Earle Page Country Party 27,736 52.6% John Howard (Labor) 2,741 (5.2 pts)
1946 Earle Page Country Party 31,785 59.9% George Mitchell (Labor) 10,532 (19.9 pts)
1949 Earle Page Country Party 22,791 61.7% Louis Jabour (Labor) 8,657 (23.4 pts)
1951 Earle Page Country Party 22,632 62.2% William Bailey (Labor) 8,889 (24.4 pts)
1954 Earle Page Country Party 21,767 59.6% William Bailey (Labor) 7,016 (19.2 pts)
1955 Earle Page Country Party -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1958 Earle Page Country Party 21,152 60.2% Frank Mcguren (Labor) 7,172 (20.4 pts)
1961 Frank Mcguren Labor 19,803 51.8% Earle Page (Country Party) 1,345 (3.5 pts)
1963 Ian Robinson Country Party 20,556 53.0% Frank Mcguren (Labor) 2,319 (6.0 pts)
1966 Ian Robinson Country Party 24,602 65.4% Burwood Gillett (Labor) 11,558 (30.7 pts)
1969 Ian Robinson Country Party 27,681 72.8% Neil Royal (Independent) 17,330 (45.6 pts)
1972 Ian Robinson Country Party 24,233 52.9% Thomas Cronin (Labor) 2,690 (5.9 pts)
1974 Ian Robinson Country Party 29,889 56.8% Thomas Cronin (Labor) 7,159 (13.6 pts)
1975 Ian Robinson National Country Party 34,948 64.9% Colin Clague (Labor) 16,055 (29.8 pts)
1977 Ian Robinson National Country Party 41,015 63.9% Colin Clague (Labor) 17,794 (27.7 pts)
1980 Ian Robinson National Country Party 39,374 57.4% Valma Melville (Labor) 10,182 (14.8 pts)
1983 Ian Robinson National 41,305 52.1% Joseph Moran (Labor) 3,311 (4.2 pts)
1984 Garry Nehl National 32,491 54.1% Joe Moran (Labor) 4,926 (8.2 pts)
1987 Garry Nehl National 39,150 59.1% John Murphy (Labor) 12,061 (18.2 pts)
1990 Garry Nehl National 42,647 57.3% John Murphy (Labor) 10,925 (14.7 pts)
1993 Garry Nehl National 36,846 54.1% Paul Sekfy (Labor) 5,535 (8.1 pts)
1996 Garry Nehl National 44,465 61.6% Paul Sekfy (Labor) 16,699 (23.1 pts)
1998 Garry Nehl National 41,335 56.4% Paul Sekfy (Labor) 9,333 (12.7 pts)
2004 Luke Hartsuyker National 43,853 56.5% Allan Williams (Labor) 10,023 (12.9 pts)
2007 Luke Hartsuyker National 43,423 51.2% Paul Sekfy (Labor) 2,089 (2.5 pts)
2010 Luke Hartsuyker National 50,477 59.3% Paul Sekfy (Labor) 15,786 (18.5 pts)
2013 Luke Hartsuyker National 53,303 61.7% Alfredo Navarro (Labor) 20,228 (23.4 pts)
2016 Luke Hartsuyker National 56,443 54.6% Robert Oakeshott (Independent) 9,426 (9.1 pts)
2019 Pat Conaghan National 59,932 56.8% Rob Oakeshott (Independent) 14,336 (13.6 pts)

First-Preference Result by Election

Every candidate's first-preference votes, before any preference redistribution.

1901

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Francis ClarkeProt3,26738.3%
Ralph DavidsonFT2,86633.6%
Hugh MckinnonIndependent2,38728.0%

1903

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Henry LeeFT7,45663.0%
Francis ClarkeProt4,38437.0%

1906

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John ThomsonProt4,79443.1%
Henry LeeAS4,60241.4%
Eugene RudderIndependent1,31611.8%
John O'brienLabor3993.6%

1910

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John ThomsonLiberal8,68667.9%
Clement JohnsonLabor3,69228.9%
John O'brienIndependent4183.3%

1913

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John ThomsonLiberal17,15272.2%
Cornelius HoganLabor6,62027.8%

1914

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John ThomsonLiberal-1100.0%

1917

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John ThomsonNational-1100.0%

1919

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageF&S11,37252.4%
Ross PryorLabor5,71226.3%
John ThomsonNational4,62421.3%

1922

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party13,15767.3%
John ThomsonNational6,39832.7%

1925

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party24,57170.0%
Easton LockhartLabor10,51030.0%

1928

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party27,55676.8%
Thomas SwineyLabor8,33623.2%

1929

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party-1100.0%

1931

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party29,26672.3%
John CusackLabor6,41715.9%
Thomas RoachLabor (Non-Communist)4,79011.8%

1934

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party30,92464.2%
Timothy MccristalLabor10,32121.4%
Hereward KestevenSC6,95814.4%

1937

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party32,00063.2%
Abraham BrindleyLabor18,64636.8%

1940

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party27,77353.7%
Myles KellyLabor11,35021.9%
Joseph McelhoneIndependent8,39116.2%
John CainIndependent4,2438.2%

1943

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party24,01745.5%
John HowardLabor21,37540.5%
Joseph McelhoneIndependent5,40310.2%
Alexander MooreOPA1,9363.7%

1946

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party31,78557.2%
George MitchellLabor21,25338.2%
Richard WilliamsIndependent2,5444.6%

1949

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party22,79161.7%
Louis JabourLabor14,13438.3%

1951

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party22,63261.0%
William BaileyLabor13,74337.0%
William TomlinsonIndependent7242.0%

1954

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party21,76758.8%
William BaileyLabor14,75139.8%
Kenneth HardingCommunist Party of Australia5031.4%

1955

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party-1100.0%

1958

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Earle PageCountry Party21,15254.8%
Frank McgurenLabor13,98036.2%
John KellettDemocratic Labor Party3,4378.9%

1961

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Frank McgurenLabor17,56745.9%
Earle PageCountry Party15,25939.9%
Neville WeileyIndependent5,43514.2%

1963

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonCountry Party20,55653.0%
Frank McgurenLabor18,23747.0%

1966

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonCountry Party24,60263.5%
Burwood GillettLabor13,04433.7%
William TredinnickLRG1,0762.8%

1969

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonCountry Party27,68162.9%
Neil RoyalIndependent10,35123.5%
Brian RichardsIndependent5,96513.6%

1972

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonCountry Party23,43749.4%
Thomas CroninLabor21,23544.8%
John MaynesAP1,4103.0%
David CummingDemocratic Labor Party1,3492.8%

1974

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonCountry Party29,88955.8%
Thomas CroninLabor22,73042.4%
James DaviesAP5851.1%
Raymond HardyIndependent3910.7%

1975

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonNational Country Party34,94862.3%
Colin ClagueLabor18,89333.7%
John MclachlanIndependent1,6623.0%
John HolcombeIndependent5741.0%

1977

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonNational Country Party41,01563.9%
Colin ClagueLabor23,22136.1%

1980

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonNational Country Party39,37454.5%
Valma MelvilleLabor29,19240.4%
John PierceAustralian Democrats3,6315.0%

1983

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Ian RobinsonNational38,35148.4%
Joseph MoranLabor33,98642.9%
Peter BrownAustralian Democrats6,9628.8%

1984

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joe MoranLabor24,67241.1%
Garry NehlNational18,11030.1%
Peter SimpsonLiberal12,03220.0%
David ReesIndependent2,0273.4%
Alfred TozerAustralian Democrats1,7292.9%
Keith JervisIndependent1,4992.5%

1987

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Garry NehlNational33,32850.3%
John MurphyLabor23,39335.3%
David ReesIndependent4,2736.5%
Dorothy ThompsonAustralian Democrats4,1226.2%
Max AustinIndependent1,1321.7%

1990

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Garry NehlNational35,37947.5%
John MurphyLabor23,21931.2%
Trevor PikeAustralian Democrats7,3539.9%
David ReesIndependent6,6408.9%
Angelique MeersGreens1,9062.6%

1993

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Garry NehlNational32,77248.1%
Paul SekfyLabor26,67039.1%
Jillian CrannyGreens3,1914.7%
Trevor PikeAustralian Democrats2,4483.6%
Darrell WallbridgeIndependent1,7142.5%
Roy ForresterIndependent9681.4%
Nigel GleesonIndependent4390.6%

1996

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Garry NehlNational40,82556.3%
Paul SekfyLabor23,19532.0%
Jillian CrannyGreens4,5256.2%
Allan QuartlyAustralian Democrats3,9745.5%

1998

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Garry NehlNational30,81042.0%
Paul SekfyLabor24,21333.0%
John WilleyOne Nation11,23415.3%
Jillian CrannyGreens2,9604.0%
Paul CorbenAustralian Democrats2,5703.5%
Mark SpencerIndependent1,5502.1%

2004

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Luke HartsuykerNational38,99850.2%
Allan WilliamsLabor24,87332.0%
John CartyGreens7,2399.3%
Allan StokesOne Nation3,0984.0%
Norm MannIndependent2,0072.6%
Trevor KapeenAustralian Democrats1,4681.9%

2007

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Luke HartsuykerNational39,44446.5%
Paul SekfyLabor32,27638.1%
John CartyGreens9,35911.0%
Deborah LionsChristian Democratic Party2,4282.9%
Flavia Arapi-NunezFamily First7590.9%
Leon A BelgraveIndependent4910.6%

2010

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Luke HartsuykerNational43,24250.8%
Paul SekfyLabor23,69627.8%
John ArkanIndependent8,4469.9%
Dominic KingGreens7,7459.1%
Deborah LionsChristian Democratic Party2,0392.4%

2013

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Luke HartsuykerNational45,82053.0%
Alfredo NavarroLabor21,91025.4%
Carol VernonGreens10,68512.4%
Rodney JeanneretPalmer United Party5,7396.6%
Bethany McalpineChristian Democratic Party2,2242.6%

2016

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Luke HartsuykerNational47,55946.0%
Robert OakeshottIndependent27,20026.3%
Damian WoodsLabor14,07913.6%
Carol VernonGreens6,9016.7%
Wayne LawrenceChristian Democratic Party3,5383.4%
John ArkanIndependent3,4573.3%
Michael GoughIndependent7260.7%

2019

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Pat ConaghanNational49,66847.1%
Rob OakeshottIndependent25,84724.5%
Andrew WoodwardLabor14,55113.8%
Lauren EdwardsGreens6,2645.9%
Alexander StewartUnited Australia Party3,1883.0%
Ruth MeadsChristian Democratic Party2,3832.3%
Kellie PearceAJP2,1762.1%
Allan GreenIndependent1,4511.4%

Margin Over Time

Final (after-preferences) winning margin, percentage points, coloured by the winning party.

1901: Prot margin 6.5 pts 1903: FT margin 25.9 pts 1906: Prot margin 2.0 pts 1910: Liberal margin 40.3 pts 1913: Liberal margin 44.3 pts 1914: Liberal margin 100.0 pts 1917: National margin 100.0 pts 1919: F&S margin 33.1 pts 1922: Country Party margin 34.6 pts 1925: Country Party margin 40.1 pts 1928: Country Party margin 53.5 pts 1929: Country Party margin 100.0 pts 1931: Country Party margin 64.0 pts 1934: Country Party margin 50.0 pts 1937: Country Party margin 26.4 pts 1940: Country Party margin 42.0 pts 1943: Country Party margin 5.2 pts 1946: Country Party margin 19.9 pts 1949: Country Party margin 23.4 pts 1951: Country Party margin 24.4 pts 1954: Country Party margin 19.2 pts 1955: Country Party margin 100.0 pts 1958: Country Party margin 20.4 pts 1961: Labor margin 3.5 pts 1963: Country Party margin 6.0 pts 1966: Country Party margin 30.7 pts 1969: Country Party margin 45.6 pts 1972: Country Party margin 5.9 pts 1974: Country Party margin 13.6 pts 1975: National Country Party margin 29.8 pts 1977: National Country Party margin 27.7 pts 1980: National Country Party margin 14.8 pts 1983: National margin 4.2 pts 1984: National margin 8.2 pts 1987: National margin 18.2 pts 1990: National margin 14.7 pts 1993: National margin 8.1 pts 1996: National margin 23.1 pts 1998: National margin 12.7 pts 2004: National margin 12.9 pts 2007: National margin 2.5 pts 2010: National margin 18.5 pts 2013: National margin 23.4 pts 2016: National margin 9.1 pts 2019: National margin 13.6 pts 1901 1903 1906 1910 1913 1914 1917 1919 1922 1925 1928 1929 1931 1934 1937 1940 1943 1946 1949 1951 1954 1955 1958 1961 1963 1966 1969 1972 1974 1975 1977 1980 1983 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1998 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016 2019

Trend

Cowper has been contested at 45 federal elections on record since 1901. Winning parties over that span: Prot, FT, Liberal, National, F&S, Country Party, Labor, National Country Party.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Cowper in the 2019 federal election?

Pat Conaghan (National) won Cowper in 2019 after preferences, with 59,932 votes (56.8%) to Rob Oakeshott's 45,596.

Which parties have won Cowper since 1901?

Since 1901, Cowper has been won by: Country Party, F&S, FT, Labor, Liberal, National, National Country Party, Prot.

What was the closest result in Cowper?

The closest result on record for Cowper was 1906, when John Thomson (Prot) beat Henry Lee by 192 votes (2.0 percentage points) after preferences.

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