Northern melbourne — Australian Federal Election Results
Northern melbourne was won by Henry Higgins (Prot) at the 1903 federal election, with a margin of 6,698 votes over Samuel Painter after preferences. This page covers every federal election in Northern melbourne from 1901 to 1903.
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), 1901–1903
| Election | Winner | Party | Final Votes | Final Share | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Henry Higgins | Independent | 4,958 | 73.7% | Robert Barr (Prot) | 3,191 (47.4 pts) |
| 1903 | Henry Higgins | Prot | 11,595 | 70.3% | Samuel Painter (Labor) | 6,698 (40.6 pts) |
First-Preference Result by Election
Every candidate's first-preference votes, before any preference redistribution.
1901
| Candidate | Party | First-Pref. Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Higgins | Independent | 4,958 | 59.0% |
| Robert Barr | Prot | 1,767 | 21.0% |
| Isaac Selby | Independent | 1,681 | 20.0% |
1903
| Candidate | Party | First-Pref. Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Higgins | Prot | 11,595 | 70.3% |
| Samuel Painter | Labor | 4,897 | 29.7% |
Margin Over Time
Final (after-preferences) winning margin, percentage points, coloured by the winning party.
Trend
Northern melbourne has been contested at 2 federal elections on record since 1901. Winning parties over that span: Independent, Prot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Northern melbourne in the 1903 federal election?
Henry Higgins (Prot) won Northern melbourne in 1903 after preferences, with 11,595 votes (70.3%) to Samuel Painter's 4,897.
Which parties have won Northern melbourne since 1901?
Since 1901, Northern melbourne has been won by: Independent, Prot.
What was the closest result in Northern melbourne?
The closest result on record for Northern melbourne was 1903, when Henry Higgins (Prot) beat Samuel Painter by 6,698 votes (40.6 percentage points) after preferences.