EveryElectionResult.com

Election results, country by country.

Port adelaide — Australian Federal Election Results

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

Port adelaide was won by Mark Butler (Labor) at the 2016 federal election, with a margin of 28,529 votes over Michael Slattery after preferences. This page covers every federal election in Port adelaide from 1949 to 2016.

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), 1949–2016

Election Winner Party Final Votes Final Share Runner-up Margin
1949 Albert Thompson Labor 31,977 72.9% Frederick Boscombe (Liberal) 20,098 (45.8 pts)
1951 Albert Thompson Labor 33,979 73.4% John Caskey (Liberal) 21,637 (46.7 pts)
1954 Albert Thompson Labor 47,355 94.0% Alan Finger (Communist Party of Australia) 44,310 (87.9 pts)
1955 Albert Thompson Labor 32,813 84.7% Peter Symon (Communist Party of Australia) 26,895 (69.4 pts)
1958 Albert Thompson Labor 28,627 74.4% David Garvie (Liberal) 18,752 (48.7 pts)
1961 Albert Thompson Labor 30,046 79.9% Kimball Kelly (Liberal) 22,490 (59.8 pts)
1963 Fred Birrell Labor 30,994 79.0% George Basisovs (Democratic Labor Party) 22,775 (58.1 pts)
1966 Fred Birrell Labor 23,766 64.8% Peter Balnaves (Liberal) 10,855 (29.6 pts)
1969 Fred Birrell Labor 35,147 73.9% Reginald Appelkamp (Liberal) 22,738 (47.8 pts)
1972 Fred Birrell Labor 35,572 74.2% Ian Fotherinham (Liberal) 23,174 (48.3 pts)
1974 Mick Young Labor 36,678 73.1% Clarence Hinson (Liberal) 23,214 (46.3 pts)
1975 Mick Young Labor 34,701 63.1% Terence Hanson (Liberal) 14,416 (26.2 pts)
1977 Mick Young Labor 40,497 66.4% Jean Lawrie (Liberal) 19,991 (32.8 pts)
1980 Mick Young Labor 43,746 69.1% Shirley De Garis (Liberal) 24,166 (38.2 pts)
1983 Mick Young Labor 48,865 74.7% Robin Rickards (Liberal) 32,298 (49.4 pts)
1984 Mick Young Labor 40,855 67.8% Thomas Ireland (Liberal) 21,480 (35.7 pts)
1987 Mick Young Labor 41,276 66.3% Barry Blundell (Liberal) 20,297 (32.6 pts)
1990 Rod Sawford Labor 42,718 63.3% Howard Trotter (Liberal) 17,938 (26.6 pts)
1993 Rod Sawford Labor 47,811 62.0% Alan Mccarthy (Liberal) 18,565 (24.1 pts)
1996 Rod Sawford Labor 42,153 57.0% Rick Hill (Liberal) 10,417 (14.1 pts)
1998 Rod Sawford Labor 49,107 66.1% Romeo Cavuoto (Liberal) 23,927 (32.2 pts)
2001 Rod Sawford Labor 49,379 64.6% Josh Kreig (Liberal) 22,374 (29.3 pts)
2004 Rod Sawford Labor 53,888 62.9% Terry Inglis (Liberal) 22,119 (25.8 pts)
2007 Mark Butler Labor 63,158 69.8% Brenton Chomel (Liberal) 35,767 (39.5 pts)
2010 Mark Butler Labor 63,295 70.0% Nigel Mckenna (Liberal) 36,211 (40.1 pts)
2013 Mark Butler Labor 58,261 64.0% Nigel Mckenna (Liberal) 25,523 (28.0 pts)
2016 Mark Butler Labor 62,264 64.9% Michael Slattery (Nick Xenophon Team) 28,529 (29.7 pts)

First-Preference Result by Election

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

1949

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor31,97771.5%
Frederick BoscombeLiberal11,87926.5%
Peter SymonCommunist Party of Australia8892.0%

1951

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor33,97971.3%
John CaskeyLiberal12,34225.9%
Alan FingerCommunist Party of Australia1,3042.7%

1954

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor47,35594.0%
Alan FingerCommunist Party of Australia3,0456.0%

1955

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor32,81384.7%
Peter SymonCommunist Party of Australia5,91815.3%

1958

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor28,62768.7%
David GarvieLiberal9,87523.7%
Gerald ShinnickDemocratic Labor Party2,3865.7%
Peter SymonCommunist Party of Australia7951.9%

1961

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Albert ThompsonLabor30,04671.8%
Kimball KellyLiberal7,55618.1%
George BasisovsDemocratic Labor Party3,2907.9%
Peter SymonCommunist Party of Australia9382.2%

1963

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Fred BirrellLabor30,99476.2%
George BasisovsDemocratic Labor Party8,21920.2%
James MossCommunist Party of Australia1,4633.6%

1966

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Fred BirrellLabor23,76657.4%
Peter BalnavesLiberal12,91131.2%
Michael BowlerDemocratic Labor Party1,9734.8%
Denis McevoyIndependent1,8034.4%
James MossCommunist Party of Australia9182.2%

1969

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Fred BirrellLabor35,14770.5%
Reginald AppelkampLiberal12,40924.9%
Denis McevoyIndependent1,3992.8%
James MossCommunist Party of Australia8871.8%

1972

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Fred BirrellLabor35,57269.7%
Ian FotherinhamLiberal12,39824.3%
Leon Dalle-NogareDemocratic Labor Party2,0854.1%
James MitchellIndependent9962.0%

1974

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor36,67865.3%
Clarence HinsonLiberal13,46424.0%
Jean LawrieLM3,7016.6%
James MitchellIndependent1,4232.5%
Alan JamiesonAP9041.6%

1975

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor34,70160.1%
Terence HansonLiberal20,28535.1%
Jean LawrieLM2,7344.7%

1977

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor40,49760.0%
Jean LawrieLiberal20,50630.4%
David WadeAustralian Democrats4,9067.3%
Donald SutherlandCommunist Party of Australia1,5752.3%

1980

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor43,74663.0%
Shirley De GarisLiberal19,58028.2%
Robert ManhireAustralian Democrats4,8467.0%
Elliott JohnstonCommunist Party of Australia1,2611.8%

1983

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor48,86568.0%
Robin RickardsLiberal16,56723.0%
Robert FisherIndependent3,0934.3%
Benjamin MichaelAustralian Democrats2,4843.5%
Donald SutherlandCommunist Party of Australia8881.2%

1984

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor37,44062.2%
Thomas IrelandLiberal17,20828.6%
Robert ManhireAustralian Democrats4,2957.1%
Deborah GordonIndependent1,2942.1%

1987

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mick YoungLabor38,19661.3%
Barry BlundellLiberal17,78028.6%
Derek BallAustralian Democrats3,7856.1%
Rod ScarboroughNational1,2832.1%
John BuikIndependent5090.8%
Bob ManhireIndependent4180.7%
Brian RooneyIndependent2940.5%

1990

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor36,18653.5%
Howard TrotterLiberal21,53931.9%
Damien AidonAustralian Democrats8,00311.8%
Peter ThompsonCommunist Party1,0131.5%
Paul PetitIndependent8591.3%

1993

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor41,24853.5%
Alan MccarthyLiberal25,45733.0%
Don KnottAustralian Democrats5,2356.8%
Colin ShearingIndependent2,4733.2%
Emily Gilbey-RileyIndependent1,1821.5%
Andrew HobbsIndependent8301.1%
Bert JoyIndependent7190.9%

1996

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor35,93948.4%
Rick HillLiberal27,31536.8%
Maddalena RositanoAustralian Democrats7,0969.6%
George ApapGreens3,3874.6%
Enid MohylenkoIndependent4750.6%

1998

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor39,44953.1%
Romeo CavuotoLiberal19,08325.7%
John PowellOne Nation6,7319.1%
Matilda BawdenAustralian Democrats6,6969.0%
Rick HillIndependent1,5272.1%
Michael PerthIndependent8011.1%

2001

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor38,78350.8%
Josh KreigLiberal22,47429.4%
Matilda BawdenAustralian Democrats7,3139.6%
Andrew PhillipsOne Nation3,9325.1%
Brian NooneGreens3,2104.2%
Michael PerthIndependent6720.9%

2004

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Rod SawfordLabor46,69254.5%
Terry InglisLiberal27,33831.9%
Anne McmenaminGreens4,6415.4%
Richard BuntingFFP4,0854.8%
Trevor TuckerAustralian Democrats1,7102.0%
Stan BattenOne Nation1,1911.4%

2007

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mark ButlerLabor52,73258.2%
Brenton ChomelLiberal22,83025.2%
Colin ThomasGreens7,9358.8%
Bruce HambourFamily First5,2305.8%
Pam MooreAustralian Democrats1,8222.0%

2010

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mark ButlerLabor48,63853.8%
Nigel MckennaLiberal21,61523.9%
Kalyna MicenkoGreens13,65915.1%
Bruce HambourFamily First6,4677.2%

2013

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mark ButlerLabor46,02450.6%
Nigel MckennaLiberal23,95526.3%
Dusan PopovicGreens7,8348.6%
Bruce HambourFamily First6,8437.5%
Ngoc HuynhPalmer United Party5,2275.7%
Terry CooksleyIndependent1,1161.2%

2016

CandidatePartyFirst-Pref. VotesShare
Mark ButlerLabor46,31448.2%
Michael SlatteryNick Xenophon Team17,97018.7%
Emma FlowerdewLiberal17,88418.6%
Matthew CareyGreens6,6837.0%
Bruce HambourFamily First4,4834.7%
Janine ClipstoneAJP2,0782.2%
Jenalie SaltChristian Democratic Party5970.6%

Margin Over Time

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

1949: Labor margin 45.8 pts 1951: Labor margin 46.7 pts 1954: Labor margin 87.9 pts 1955: Labor margin 69.4 pts 1958: Labor margin 48.7 pts 1961: Labor margin 59.8 pts 1963: Labor margin 58.1 pts 1966: Labor margin 29.6 pts 1969: Labor margin 47.8 pts 1972: Labor margin 48.3 pts 1974: Labor margin 46.3 pts 1975: Labor margin 26.2 pts 1977: Labor margin 32.8 pts 1980: Labor margin 38.2 pts 1983: Labor margin 49.4 pts 1984: Labor margin 35.7 pts 1987: Labor margin 32.6 pts 1990: Labor margin 26.6 pts 1993: Labor margin 24.1 pts 1996: Labor margin 14.1 pts 1998: Labor margin 32.2 pts 2001: Labor margin 29.3 pts 2004: Labor margin 25.8 pts 2007: Labor margin 39.5 pts 2010: Labor margin 40.1 pts 2013: Labor margin 28.0 pts 2016: Labor margin 29.7 pts 1949 1951 1954 1955 1958 1961 1963 1966 1969 1972 1974 1975 1977 1980 1983 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016

Trend

Port adelaide has been contested at 27 federal elections on record since 1949. Winning party over that span: Labor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who won Port adelaide in the 2016 federal election?

Mark Butler (Labor) won Port adelaide in 2016 after preferences, with 62,264 votes (64.9%) to Michael Slattery's 33,735.

Which parties have won Port adelaide since 1949?

Since 1949, Port adelaide has been won by: Labor.

What was the closest result in Port adelaide?

The closest result on record for Port adelaide was 1996, when Rod Sawford (Labor) beat Rick Hill by 10,417 votes (14.1 percentage points) after preferences.

Related Pages