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Newcastle — Australian Federal Election Results

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

Newcastle was won by Sharon Claydon (Labor) at the 2019 federal election, with a margin of 28,501 votes over Katrina Wark after preferences. This page covers every federal election in Newcastle 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 David Watkins Labor 7,495 64.8% Owen Gilbert (FT) 3,423 (29.6 pts)
1903 David Watkins Labor 9,839 62.5% Richmond Bowles (FT) 3,940 (25.0 pts)
1906 David Watkins Labor 11,952 67.2% John Hawthorne (AS) 6,119 (34.4 pts)
1910 David Watkins Labor 15,920 76.7% Frank Pulsford (Liberal) 11,095 (53.5 pts)
1913 David Watkins Labor 17,865 73.8% Thomas Collins (Liberal) 11,531 (47.7 pts)
1914 David Watkins Labor -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1917 David Watkins Labor 17,643 58.0% Arthur Griffith (National) 4,859 (16.0 pts)
1919 David Watkins Labor -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1922 David Watkins Labor 12,362 68.9% John Willings (National) 6,782 (37.8 pts)
1925 David Watkins Labor 27,291 62.5% George Waller (National) 10,913 (25.0 pts)
1928 David Watkins Labor 26,952 57.1% Walter Skelton (Independent) 6,740 (14.3 pts)
1929 David Watkins Labor -1 100.0% None (None) -1 (100.0 pts)
1931 David Watkins Labor 32,194 64.1% Clifton Clark (Independent) 14,192 (28.3 pts)
1934 David Watkins Labor 29,600 62.4% James Smith (Labor (Non-Communist)) 11,747 (24.8 pts)
1937 David Watkins Labor 44,085 79.3% Hilton Sykes (Independent) 32,591 (58.6 pts)
1940 David Watkins Labor 44,170 83.0% Thomas Hickey (SL) 35,141 (66.1 pts)
1943 David Watkins Labor 44,379 85.9% Stanley Deacon (Communist Party of Australia) 37,108 (71.8 pts)
1946 David Watkins Labor 38,203 71.6% Allen Fairhall (Liberal) 23,079 (43.3 pts)
1949 David Watkins Labor 21,705 58.3% Harry Quinlan (Liberal) 6,176 (16.6 pts)
1951 David Watkins Labor 23,152 63.2% Roy Stewart (Liberal) 9,667 (26.4 pts)
1954 David Watkins Labor 20,854 59.8% Matthew Tapp (Liberal) 6,843 (19.6 pts)
1955 David Watkins Labor 23,801 61.3% Eric Cupit (Liberal) 8,784 (22.6 pts)
1958 Charles Jones Labor 23,235 66.9% Alwyn Watkins (Liberal) 11,749 (33.8 pts)
1961 Charles Jones Labor 23,315 69.0% Henry Wansey (Liberal) 12,827 (37.9 pts)
1963 Charles Jones Labor 21,434 63.1% Eric Cupit (Liberal) 8,916 (26.3 pts)
1966 Charles Jones Labor 19,682 62.1% Frances Clack (Liberal) 7,682 (24.2 pts)
1969 Charles Jones Labor 32,469 64.8% Alfred Appleby (Liberal) 14,807 (29.5 pts)
1972 Charles Jones Labor 33,451 69.5% Douglas Blackshaw (Liberal) 18,768 (39.0 pts)
1974 Charles Jones Labor 38,554 72.1% Arthur Thomas (Liberal) 23,607 (44.1 pts)
1975 Charles Jones Labor 34,170 63.0% Arthur Thomas (Liberal) 14,125 (26.1 pts)
1977 Charles Jones Labor 38,620 63.2% Elaine Samuels (Liberal) 16,135 (26.4 pts)
1980 Charles Jones Labor 38,321 62.7% Richard Bevan (Liberal) 15,498 (25.3 pts)
1983 Allan Morris Labor 39,003 68.6% Stanley Hayward (Liberal) 21,161 (37.2 pts)
1984 Allan Morris Labor 38,283 64.5% Ashley Saunders (Liberal) 17,207 (29.0 pts)
1987 Allan Morris Labor 38,670 64.1% Alan Taggart (Liberal) 16,999 (28.2 pts)
1990 Allan Morris Labor 37,474 73.6% Leigh Maughan (Independent) 24,040 (47.2 pts)
1993 Allan Morris Labor 48,683 66.9% Glen Turner (Liberal) 24,576 (33.8 pts)
1996 Allan Morris Labor 43,807 61.2% Ivan Welsh (Liberal) 16,027 (22.4 pts)
2004 Sharon Grierson Labor 48,771 60.0% Josephine Barfield (Liberal) 16,224 (20.0 pts)
2007 Sharon Grierson Labor 55,725 65.9% Krysia Walker (Liberal) 26,905 (31.8 pts)
2010 Sharon Grierson Labor 51,220 62.5% Brad Luke (Liberal) 20,476 (25.0 pts)
2013 Sharon Claydon Labor 50,298 58.8% Jaimie Abbott (Liberal) 15,101 (17.7 pts)
2016 Sharon Claydon Labor 63,348 63.8% David Compton (Liberal) 27,461 (27.7 pts)
2019 Sharon Claydon Labor 65,784 63.8% Katrina Wark (Liberal) 28,501 (27.7 pts)

First-Preference Result by Election

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

1901

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor7,49564.3%
Owen GilbertFT4,07234.9%
John BaileyIndependent950.8%

1903

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor9,83962.5%
Richmond BowlesFT5,89937.5%

1906

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor11,95267.2%
John HawthorneAS5,83332.8%

1910

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor15,92076.7%
Frank PulsfordLiberal4,82523.3%

1913

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor17,86573.8%
Thomas CollinsLiberal6,33426.2%

1914

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor-1100.0%

1917

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor17,64358.0%
Arthur GriffithNational12,78442.0%

1919

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor-1100.0%

1922

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor12,36254.6%
John WillingsNational5,58024.6%
Arthur GardinerIndependent4,69520.7%

1925

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor27,29162.5%
George WallerNational16,37837.5%

1928

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor26,95257.1%
Walter SkeltonIndependent20,21242.9%

1929

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor-1100.0%

1931

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor15,29030.5%
James KiddLabor (Non-Communist)13,23326.4%
Clifton ClarkIndependent10,72621.4%
Walter SkeltonIndependent10,03720.0%
John SimpsonCommunist Party of Australia9101.8%

1934

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor29,60057.2%
James SmithLabor (Non-Communist)17,85334.5%
Sidney BethuneCommunist Party of Australia4,3268.4%

1937

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor44,08579.3%
Hilton SykesIndependent11,49420.7%

1940

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor44,17074.4%
Thomas HickeySL9,02915.2%
Arthur ClarkeIndependent6,19010.4%

1943

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor44,37969.2%
Stanley DeaconCommunist Party of Australia7,27111.3%
James BayleyIndependent5,6168.8%
Fred WrightIndependent4,7537.4%
John CainIndependent2,0673.2%

1946

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor38,20358.9%
Allen FairhallLiberal15,12423.3%
Stanley DeaconCommunist Party of Australia4,6167.1%
Charles DickerLabor (Non-Communist)2,4743.8%
Grahame BlandIndependent1,4662.3%
Edwin DarkIndependent9231.4%
Frederick WilsonIndependent7231.1%
Isabel LongworthIndependent6261.0%
Arthur ClarkeSC3600.6%
Harry EllisIndependent3360.5%

1949

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor21,70555.7%
Harry QuinlanLiberal15,52939.9%
Laurence AaronsCommunist Party of Australia1,2573.2%
Grahame BlandIndependent4451.1%

1951

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor23,15260.5%
Roy StewartLiberal13,48535.2%
Laurence AaronsCommunist Party of Australia1,6454.3%

1954

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor20,85457.8%
Matthew TappLiberal14,01138.8%
Douglas OliveCommunist Party of Australia7162.0%
Sydney MonroeIndependent4901.4%

1955

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
David WatkinsLabor23,80159.2%
Eric CupitLiberal15,01737.3%
Douglas OliveCommunist Party of Australia8792.2%
Sidney MonroeIndependent5221.3%

1958

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor23,23559.9%
Alwyn WatkinsLiberal11,48629.6%
Herbert CollinsDemocratic Labor Party3,2268.3%
Mary PepperallIndependent6761.7%
Sidney MonroeIndependent1510.4%

1961

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor23,31562.8%
Henry WanseyLiberal10,48828.2%
Hugh AnsellDemocratic Labor Party3,3309.0%

1963

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor21,43458.7%
Eric CupitLiberal12,51834.3%
Herbert CollinsDemocratic Labor Party2,5597.0%

1966

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor19,68256.0%
Frances ClackLiberal12,00034.2%
Herbert CollinsDemocratic Labor Party2,0545.8%
Warren BridgeIndependent1,3924.0%

1969

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor32,46962.9%
Alfred ApplebyLiberal17,66234.2%
Wlodzimierz BohaktoAP1,5052.9%

1972

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor33,45164.9%
Douglas BlackshawLiberal14,68328.5%
Henry AndersonCommunist Party of Australia1,9513.8%
Robert GodfreyDemocratic Labor Party1,4412.8%

1974

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor38,55470.0%
Arthur ThomasLiberal14,94727.1%
Ellen RoseAP1,5902.9%

1975

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor34,17061.9%
Arthur ThomasLiberal20,04536.3%
David RossCommunist Party of Australia1,0271.9%

1977

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor38,62057.3%
Elaine SamuelsLiberal22,48533.4%
Ian HayAustralian Democrats3,5465.3%
Darrell DawsonCommunist Party of Australia2,7634.1%

1980

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Charles JonesLabor38,32158.0%
Richard BevanLiberal22,82334.5%
John CleverlyAustralian Democrats2,1323.2%
Darrell DawsonCommunist Party of Australia1,6292.5%
Geoffrey PayneIndependent1,2041.8%

1983

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor39,00359.6%
Stanley HaywardLiberal17,84227.3%
Wayne JarmanAustralian Democrats2,9514.5%
Frank BlefariIndependent2,3553.6%
Darrell DawsonCommunist Party of Australia1,7322.6%
Brian McdermottIndependent9591.5%
Geoffrey PayneIndependent5730.9%

1984

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor33,71556.7%
Ashley SaundersLiberal10,84018.2%
Don GeddesIndependent10,46017.6%
Steve JeffriesAustralian Democrats3,5706.0%
Jim CampbellIndependent8371.4%

1987

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor31,09551.5%
George KeeganIndependent16,36227.1%
Alan TaggartLiberal9,97816.5%
Rae RendleAustralian Democrats2,9484.9%

1990

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor33,65053.7%
Leigh MaughanIndependent11,10817.7%
Mark HallettLiberal9,26914.8%
Malcolm MartinAustralian Democrats7,27311.6%
Frank BlefariIndependent9721.6%
Con ForsterIndependent3520.6%

1993

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor41,26856.7%
Glen TurnerLiberal20,03027.5%
James WhelanGreens5,3497.3%
Ivan WelshIndependent2,6583.6%
Greg BainesAustralian Democrats2,1092.9%
Jim KendallCommunist Party7621.0%
Lewina JacksonIndependent3540.5%
Frank BlefariIndependent2920.4%

1996

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Allan MorrisLabor36,14650.1%
Ivan WelshLiberal21,93830.4%
Barry BoettcherAustralian Democrats7,1269.9%
Cathy BurgessGreens6,2888.7%
Kamala EmanuelIndependent5910.8%

2004

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon GriersonLabor37,39246.0%
Josephine BarfieldLiberal28,90235.5%
Annie Rooke-FrizellGreens9,70111.9%
Eddie SmithAustralian Democrats2,0182.5%
Harry WilliamsLabor2,0012.5%
Don BowerCEC8131.0%
Peter RobsonSocialist Alliance4910.6%

2007

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon GriersonLabor42,93650.8%
Krysia WalkerLiberal21,61125.6%
Charmian EckersleyGreens8,46310.0%
Aaron BumanIndependent6,3437.5%
Malcolm EastFamily First1,9262.3%
Milton CaineChristian Democratic Party1,0641.3%
Aaron JohnsonAustralian Democrats8911.1%
Joel CurryIndependent7010.8%
Geoff PayneIndependent3330.4%
Noel HoltIndependent2770.3%

2010

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon GriersonLabor39,25347.9%
Brad LukeLiberal25,68031.3%
Michael OsborneGreens12,67715.5%
Milton CaineChristian Democratic Party1,4791.8%
Dean WinterAustralian Democrats1,4191.7%
Zane AlcornIndependent8291.0%
Noel HoltIndependent6270.8%

2013

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon ClaydonLabor37,39143.7%
Jaimie AbbottLiberal29,63234.7%
Michael OsborneGreens10,25812.0%
Yegon MclellanPalmer United Party3,5184.1%
Milton CaineChristian Democratic Party1,0911.3%
Susanna ScurryIndependent1,0261.2%
Michael ChehoffIndependent9221.1%
Rod HoldingIndependent6740.8%
Zane AlcornIndependent6160.7%
Lawrence HigginsIndependent3670.4%

2016

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon ClaydonLabor46,76247.1%
David ComptonLiberal29,68929.9%
John MackenzieGreens13,55813.7%
Karen BurgeIndependent3,3913.4%
Rod HoldingIndependent2,7352.8%
Milton CaineChristian Democratic Party2,1322.1%
Stuart SouthwellDemocratic Labor Party9681.0%

2019

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Sharon ClaydonLabor47,13745.7%
Katrina WarkLiberal30,10729.2%
John MackenzieGreens16,03815.6%
Geoffrey ScullyUnited Australia Party3,4713.4%
Darren BrolloAJP3,3003.2%
Pam WiseChristian Democratic Party1,9281.9%
B J FutterIndependent1,0861.1%

Margin Over Time

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

1901: Labor margin 29.6 pts 1903: Labor margin 25.0 pts 1906: Labor margin 34.4 pts 1910: Labor margin 53.5 pts 1913: Labor margin 47.7 pts 1914: Labor margin 100.0 pts 1917: Labor margin 16.0 pts 1919: Labor margin 100.0 pts 1922: Labor margin 37.8 pts 1925: Labor margin 25.0 pts 1928: Labor margin 14.3 pts 1929: Labor margin 100.0 pts 1931: Labor margin 28.3 pts 1934: Labor margin 24.8 pts 1937: Labor margin 58.6 pts 1940: Labor margin 66.1 pts 1943: Labor margin 71.8 pts 1946: Labor margin 43.3 pts 1949: Labor margin 16.6 pts 1951: Labor margin 26.4 pts 1954: Labor margin 19.6 pts 1955: Labor margin 22.6 pts 1958: Labor margin 33.8 pts 1961: Labor margin 37.9 pts 1963: Labor margin 26.3 pts 1966: Labor margin 24.2 pts 1969: Labor margin 29.5 pts 1972: Labor margin 39.0 pts 1974: Labor margin 44.1 pts 1975: Labor margin 26.1 pts 1977: Labor margin 26.4 pts 1980: Labor margin 25.3 pts 1983: Labor margin 37.2 pts 1984: Labor margin 29.0 pts 1987: Labor margin 28.2 pts 1990: Labor margin 47.2 pts 1993: Labor margin 33.8 pts 1996: Labor margin 22.4 pts 2004: Labor margin 20.0 pts 2007: Labor margin 31.8 pts 2010: Labor margin 25.0 pts 2013: Labor margin 17.7 pts 2016: Labor margin 27.7 pts 2019: Labor margin 27.7 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 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016 2019

Trend

Newcastle has been contested at 44 federal elections on record since 1901. Winning party over that span: Labor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Newcastle in the 2019 federal election?

Sharon Claydon (Labor) won Newcastle in 2019 after preferences, with 65,784 votes (63.8%) to Katrina Wark's 37,283.

Which parties have won Newcastle since 1901?

Since 1901, Newcastle has been won by: Labor.

What was the closest result in Newcastle?

The closest result on record for Newcastle was 1928, when David Watkins (Labor) beat Walter Skelton by 6,740 votes (14.3 percentage points) after preferences.

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