title: 1919 Swansea East by-election
text: # 1919 Swansea East by-election
  
  The 1919 Swansea East by-election was a parliamentary by-election held for the British House of Commons constituency of Swansea East on 10 July 1919.
  
  ## Vacancy
  
  The seat had become vacant when the Coalition Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Thomas Jeremiah Williams had died on 12 June 1919, aged 46. He had held the seat since its creation at the 1918 general election.
  
  ## Electoral history
  
  General election 1918: Swansea East :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | C | Liberal | Thomas Jeremiah Williams | 11,071 | 63.6 | N/A |
  | | Labour | David Williams | 6,341 | 36.4 | N/A |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,730 | 27.2 | N/A |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,411 | 64.1 | N/A |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,185 | | |
  | | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |
  | C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
  
  ## Campaign
  
  At a Labour Party conference in June, a resolution was passed in favour of using the strike weapon for political purposes.
  
  ## Result
  
  The Coalition Liberal candidate, David Matthews, held the seat for his party, but with a greatly reduced majority.
  
  1919 Swansea East by-election :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | C | Liberal | David Matthews | 9,250 | 53.1 | -10.5 |
  | | Labour | David Williams | 8,158 | 46.9 | +10.5 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,092 | 6.2 | -21.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 17,408 | 64.0 | -0.1 |
  | Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 27,185 | | |
  | | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -10.5 | |
  | C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
  
  ## Aftermath
  
  David Williams stood again at the 1922 general election and won the seat for the Labour Party.
  
  