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Darling — Australian Federal Election Results

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

Darling was won by John Fitzpatrick (Labor) at the 1975 federal election, with a margin of 6,705 votes over Walter Mitchell after preferences. This page covers every federal election in Darling from 1901 to 1975.

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), 1901–1975

Election Winner Party Final Votes Final Share Runner-up Margin
1901 William Spence Labor 2,206 58.9% Thomas Bertram (FT) 669 (17.9 pts)
1903 William Spence Labor 3,148 58.2% Denis Acton (FT) 885 (16.4 pts)
1906 William Spence Labor 6,356 57.9% Denis Acton (AS) 1,730 (15.8 pts)
1910 William Spence Labor 9,551 64.7% James Carroll (Liberal) 4,329 (29.3 pts)
1913 William Spence Labor 11,582 60.5% Edwin Townsend (Liberal) 4,022 (21.0 pts)
1914 William Spence Labor 12,309 60.5% William Kelk (Liberal) 4,273 (21.0 pts)
1917 Arthur Blakeley Labor 11,523 53.3% William Spence (National) 1,442 (6.7 pts)
1919 Arthur Blakeley Labor 11,344 61.8% Alfred Perkins (National) 4,340 (23.7 pts)
1922 Arthur Blakeley Labor 12,682 65.1% Walter Wright (National) 5,884 (30.2 pts)
1925 Arthur Blakeley Labor 20,965 65.5% John Dowling (National) 9,922 (31.0 pts)
1928 Arthur Blakeley Labor 24,056 70.9% Frederick Drury (National) 14,194 (41.8 pts)
1929 Arthur Blakeley Labor 24,124 70.2% Brian Doe (National) 13,865 (40.3 pts)
1931 Arthur Blakeley Labor 22,828 63.9% Harold Campbell (Country Party) 9,911 (27.7 pts)
1934 Joseph Clark Labor (Non-Communist) 28,944 63.5% Paul Goldenstedt (Country Party) 12,339 (27.1 pts)
1937 Joseph Clark Labor 32,515 66.2% Alexander Huie (Independent) 15,934 (32.5 pts)
1940 Joseph Clark Labor 29,128 73.2% Alexander Huie (Independent) 18,480 (46.5 pts)
1943 Joseph Clark Labor 32,540 71.6% James Butler (OPA) 19,604 (43.1 pts)
1946 Joseph Clark Labor 27,449 69.2% John Mcgirr (Country Party) 15,220 (38.4 pts)
1949 Joseph Clark Labor 20,843 66.8% Elson Whyte (Country Party) 10,495 (33.6 pts)
1951 Joseph Clark Labor 22,610 68.8% Elson Whyte (Country Party) 12,357 (37.6 pts)
1954 Joseph Clark Labor 23,875 70.5% Rodan Dawson (Country Party) 13,863 (40.9 pts)
1955 Joseph Clark Labor 23,428 67.5% Ewen Martin (Country Party) 12,146 (35.0 pts)
1958 Joseph Clark Labor 24,815 73.3% Elson Whyte (Country Party) 15,760 (46.5 pts)
1961 Joseph Clark Labor 25,235 72.6% Rodan Dawson (Country Party) 15,698 (45.1 pts)
1963 Joseph Clark Labor 23,352 67.4% Frederick Harding (Country Party) 12,053 (34.8 pts)
1966 Joseph Clark Labor 20,848 60.3% Allan Connell (Liberal) 7,134 (20.6 pts)
1969 John Fitzpatrick Labor 23,168 71.0% Maxwell Overton (Country Party) 13,694 (42.0 pts)
1972 John Fitzpatrick Labor 25,310 73.0% Maxwell Overton (Country Party) 15,950 (46.0 pts)
1974 John Fitzpatrick Labor 26,188 70.9% Maxwell Overton (Country Party) 15,438 (41.8 pts)
1975 John Fitzpatrick Labor 25,579 57.5% Walter Mitchell (National Country Party) 6,705 (15.1 pts)

First-Preference Result by Election

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

1901

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor2,20644.4%
Thomas BertramFT1,53731.0%
Patrick QuinnProt1,22124.6%

1903

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor3,14858.2%
Denis ActonFT2,26341.8%

1906

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor6,35657.9%
Denis ActonAS4,62642.1%

1910

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor9,55164.7%
James CarrollLiberal5,22235.3%

1913

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor11,58260.5%
Edwin TownsendLiberal7,56039.5%

1914

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
William SpenceLabor12,30960.5%
William KelkLiberal8,03639.5%

1917

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor11,52353.3%
William SpenceNational10,08146.7%

1919

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor11,34461.8%
Alfred PerkinsNational7,00438.2%

1922

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor8,82045.3%
Walter WrightNational6,32932.5%
Michael ConsidineIndependent4,33122.2%

1925

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor20,96565.5%
John DowlingNational11,04334.5%

1928

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor24,05670.9%
Frederick DruryNational9,86229.1%

1929

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor24,12470.2%
Brian DoeNational10,25929.8%

1931

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Arthur BlakeleyLabor14,58140.8%
Harold CampbellCountry Party11,84733.1%
Richard QuintrellLabor (Non-Communist)8,79524.6%
Edward TrippCommunist Party of Australia5221.5%

1934

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor (Non-Communist)18,20840.0%
Paul GoldenstedtCountry Party13,56729.8%
Arthur BlakeleyLabor13,01628.6%
Stuart CoombeCommunist Party of Australia7581.7%

1937

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor32,51566.2%
Alexander HuieIndependent16,58133.8%

1940

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor29,12863.4%
Alexander HuieIndependent10,64823.2%
Charles MurphyLabor (Non-Communist)6,15813.4%

1943

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor32,54071.6%
James ButlerOPA12,93628.4%

1946

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor27,44960.7%
John McgirrCountry Party12,22927.0%
Cyril GlassopIndependent5,53312.2%

1949

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor20,84363.8%
Elson WhyteCountry Party10,34831.7%
Cecil ConnorsCommunist Party of Australia1,0173.1%
Madge RobertsIndependent4501.4%

1951

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor22,61068.8%
Elson WhyteCountry Party10,25331.2%

1954

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor23,87570.5%
Rodan DawsonCountry Party10,01229.5%

1955

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor23,42867.5%
Ewen MartinCountry Party11,28232.5%

1958

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor24,81570.5%
Elson WhyteCountry Party9,05525.7%
Francis O'donnellIndependent1,3493.8%

1961

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor25,23572.6%
Rodan DawsonCountry Party9,53727.4%

1963

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor23,35267.4%
Frederick HardingCountry Party11,29932.6%

1966

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Joseph ClarkLabor20,84860.3%
Allan ConnellLiberal13,71439.7%

1969

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John FitzpatrickLabor23,16857.5%
Maxwell OvertonCountry Party9,47423.5%
Jack BonneyLiberal7,65019.0%

1972

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John FitzpatrickLabor25,31061.0%
Maxwell OvertonCountry Party9,36022.5%
James DonohoeLiberal4,0299.7%
John DarcyDemocratic Labor Party2,8266.8%

1974

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John FitzpatrickLabor26,18859.6%
Maxwell OvertonCountry Party10,75024.5%
William ThorntonLiberal5,14311.7%
Peter FarryAP1,8714.3%

1975

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
John FitzpatrickLabor25,57956.8%
Walter MitchellNational Country Party18,87441.9%
Walter MillerIndependent6031.3%

Margin Over Time

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

1901: Labor margin 17.9 pts 1903: Labor margin 16.4 pts 1906: Labor margin 15.8 pts 1910: Labor margin 29.3 pts 1913: Labor margin 21.0 pts 1914: Labor margin 21.0 pts 1917: Labor margin 6.7 pts 1919: Labor margin 23.7 pts 1922: Labor margin 30.2 pts 1925: Labor margin 31.0 pts 1928: Labor margin 41.8 pts 1929: Labor margin 40.3 pts 1931: Labor margin 27.7 pts 1934: Labor (Non-Communist) margin 27.1 pts 1937: Labor margin 32.5 pts 1940: Labor margin 46.5 pts 1943: Labor margin 43.1 pts 1946: Labor margin 38.4 pts 1949: Labor margin 33.6 pts 1951: Labor margin 37.6 pts 1954: Labor margin 40.9 pts 1955: Labor margin 35.0 pts 1958: Labor margin 46.5 pts 1961: Labor margin 45.1 pts 1963: Labor margin 34.8 pts 1966: Labor margin 20.6 pts 1969: Labor margin 42.0 pts 1972: Labor margin 46.0 pts 1974: Labor margin 41.8 pts 1975: Labor margin 15.1 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

Trend

Darling has been contested at 30 federal elections on record since 1901. Winning parties over that span: Labor, Labor (Non-Communist).

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Darling in the 1975 federal election?

John Fitzpatrick (Labor) won Darling in 1975 after preferences, with 25,579 votes (57.5%) to Walter Mitchell's 18,874.

Which parties have won Darling since 1901?

Since 1901, Darling has been won by: Labor, Labor (Non-Communist).

What was the closest result in Darling?

The closest result on record for Darling was 1917, when Arthur Blakeley (Labor) beat William Spence by 1,442 votes (6.7 percentage points) after preferences.

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