title: Electoral results for the district of Swan
text: # Electoral results for the district of Swan
  
  This is a list of electoral results for the Electoral district of Swan in Western Australian state elections.
  
  ## Members for Swan
  
  Swan (1890–1950) :
  
  | Member | Member | Party | Term |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | | William Loton | None | 1890–1897 |
  | | Norman Ewing | Independent | 1897–1901 |
  | | Mathieson Jacoby | Independent | 1901–1905 |
  | | Arthur Gull | Ministerial | 1905–1908 |
  | | Mathieson Jacoby | Ministerial | 1908–1911 |
  | | Philip Turvey | Labor | 1911–1914 |
  | | William Ralph Nairn | Liberal | 1914–1917 |
  | | William Ralph Nairn | Nationalist | 1917–1921 |
  | | Richard Sampson | Country | 1921–1923 |
  | | Richard Sampson | Country (MCP) | 1923–1924 |
  | | Richard Sampson | Nationalist | 1924–1931 |
  | | Richard Sampson | Country | 1931–1944 |
  | | Ray Owen | Independent Country | 1944–1947 |
  | | Gerald Wild | Liberal | 1947–1949 |
  | | Gerald Wild | Liberal Country League | 1949–1950 |
  | Swan (1962–1983) ||||
  | Member | Member | Party | Term |
  | | John Brady | Labor | 1962–1974 |
  | | John Skidmore | Labor | 1974–1982 |
  | | Gordon Hill | Labor | 1982–1983 |
  
  ## Election results
  
  ### Elections in the 1980s
  
  1982 Swan state by-election :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Gordon Hill | 7,491 | 59.9 | +1.9 |
  | | Liberal | Richard Reynolds | 3,962 | 31.7 | -4.1 |
  | | Democrats | Ramsay Bogunovich | 1,055 | 8.4 | +8.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 12,508 | 97.5 | +1.7 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 319 | 2.5 | -1.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,827 | 75.5 | -13.5 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |
  
  * Preferences were not distributed.
  
  1980 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Jack Skidmore | 8,737 | 58.0 | +2.0 |
  | | Liberal | John George | 5,387 | 35.8 | -8.2 |
  | | National Country | Howard Wilcockson | 737 | 4.9 | +4.9 |
  | | Independent | Howard Bowra | 195 | 1.3 | +1.3 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 15,056 | 95.8 | -0.1 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 663 | 4.2 | +0.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,719 | 89.0 | -1.6 |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Labor | Jack Skidmore | 8,967 | 59.6 | +3.6 |
  | | Liberal | John George | 6,089 | 40.4 | -3.6 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +3.6 | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1970s
  
  1977 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Jack Skidmore | 7,831 | 56.0 |
  | | Liberal | Peter Unger | 6,143 | 44.0 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 13,974 | 95.9 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 604 | 4.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,578 | 90.6 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | -6.4 |
  
  1974 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Jack Skidmore | 9,021 | 63.0 |
  | | Liberal | Douglas Ismail | 4,244 | 29.6 |
  | | National Alliance | Pietro Bendotti | 1,052 | 7.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 14,317 | 93.9 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 926 | 6.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,243 | 89.6 |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Labor | Jack Skidmore | 9,179 | 64.1 |
  | | Liberal | Douglas Ismail | 5,138 | 35.9 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | |
  
  1971 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | John Brady | 9,923 | 75.5 | +4.5 |
  | | Democratic Labor | Paul McLaughlin | 3,214 | 24.5 | +24.5 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 13,137 | 94.5 | -3.3 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 761 | 5.5 | +3.3 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,898 | 91.4 | -0.9 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1960s
  
  1968 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | John Brady | 7,852 | 71.0 |
  | | Liberal and Country | John Pitsikas | 3,201 | 29.0 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 11,053 | 97.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 250 | 2.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,303 | 92.3 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | |
  
  1965 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | John Brady | 6,863 | 66.3 | -25.5 |
  | | Liberal and Country | Lindsay Ellis | 3,208 | 31.0 | +31.0 |
  | | Communist | Gordon Murray | 284 | 2.7 | -5.5 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 10,355 | 95.6 | +3.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 474 | 4.4 | -3.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,829 | 92.6 | -1.5 |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Labor | John Brady | 7,119 | 68.7 | -23.1 |
  | | Liberal and Country | Lindsay Ellis | 3,236 | 36.3 | +36.3 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |
  
  1962 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | John Brady | 8,962 | 91.8 |
  | | Communist | Gordon Murray | 805 | 8.2 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 9,767 | 92.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 795 | 7.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,562 | 94.1 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1940s
  
  1947 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal | Gerald Wild | 2,765 | 44.8 | +44.8 |
  | | Independent | Ray Owen | 2,653 | 43.0 | +43.0 |
  | | Country | Edward Parker | 751 | 12.2 | -50.5 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 6,169 | 97.0 | +0.6 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 193 | 3.0 | -0.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,362 | 85.4 | -7.6 |
  | Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
  | | Liberal | Gerald Wild | 3,135 | 50.8 | +50.8 |
  | | Independent | Ray Owen | 3,034 | 49.2 | +49.2 |
  | | Liberal gain from Country | Liberal gain from Country | Swing | N/A | |
  
  * Swan was won in a by-election by Independent candidate Ray Owen upon the death of sitting Country member Richard Sampson.
  
  1944 Swan state by-election :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Owen Hanlon | 1,488 | 28.8 | –8.5 |
  | | Independent Country | Ray Owen | 1,377 | 26.6 | +26.6 |
  | | Independent Country | Howard Sampson | 988 | 19.1 | +19.1 |
  | | Country | Hurtle Prater | 563 | 10.9 | –51.8 |
  | | Independent | John Thomas | 465 | 9.0 | +9.0 |
  | | Nationalist | Herbert Yelland | 288 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 5,169 | 96.9 | +0.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 165 | 3.1 | –0.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,334 | 80.4 | –12.6 |
  | Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
  | | Independent Country | Ray Owen | 3,099 | 60.0 | +60.0 |
  | | Independent Country | Howard Sampson | 2,070 | 40.0 | +40.0 |
  | | Independent Country gain from Country | Independent Country gain from Country | Swing | n/a | |
  
  1943 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 3,583 | 62.7 | +16.8 |
  | | Labor | Owen Hanlon | 2,128 | 37.3 | +5.8 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 5,711 | 96.4 | -1.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 215 | 3.6 | +1.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,926 | 93.0 | +3.4 |
  | | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | +0.7 | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1930s
  
  1939 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 2,447 | 45.9 | -54.1 |
  | | Labor | Harold Larwood | 1,676 | 31.5 | +31.5 |
  | | Ind. Nationalist | George North | 1,206 | 22.6 | +22.6 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 5,329 | 97.9 | |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 115 | 2.1 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,444 | 89.6 | |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 3,306 | 62.0 | -38.0 |
  | | Labor | Harold Larwood | 2,023 | 38.0 | +38.0 |
  | | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | N/A | |
  
  1936 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | unopposed | | |
  | | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | | |
  
  1933 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 2,731 | 65.8 | -34.2 |
  | | Nationalist | William Orr | 1,421 | 34.2 | +34.2 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 4,051 | 97.6 | |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 101 | 2.4 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,253 | 89.3 | |
  | | Country gain from Nationalist | Country gain from Nationalist | Swing | N/A | |
  
  * Richard Sampson was the sitting member for Swan that changed from the Nationalist to the Country party for this election.
  
  1930 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Nationalist | Richard Sampson | unopposed | | |
  | | Nationalist hold | Nationalist hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1920s
  
  1927 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Nationalist | Richard Sampson | 2,395 | 61.6 | +3.7 |
  | | Labor | Charles Huntley | 1,495 | 38.4 | -3.7 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,890 | 99.1 | -0.1 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 35 | 0.9 | +0.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,925 | 71.7 | +2.2 |
  | | Nationalist hold | Nationalist hold | Swing | +3.7 | |
  
  1924 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 1,875 | 57.9 | +27.6 |
  | | Labor | William Logie | 1,362 | 42.1 | +12.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,237 | 99.2 | +1.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 25 | 0.8 | -1.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,262 | 69.5 | +1.8 |
  | | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | -1.0 | |
  
  1921 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 725 | 30.3 | +30.3 |
  | | Labor | John Holman | 719 | 30.0 | +30.0 |
  | | Nationalist | Caryl Molyneux | 301 | 12.6 | -34.0 |
  | | Country | George Wilson | 268 | 11.2 | +11.2 |
  | | Independent | Neil Dungey | 327 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
  | | Nationalist | Fred Serisier | 53 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,393 | 97.7 | -1.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 56 | 2.3 | +1.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,449 | 67.7 | +9.7 |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Country | Richard Sampson | 1,409 | 58.9 | +58.9 |
  | | Labor | John Holman | 984 | 41.1 | +41.1 |
  | | Country gain from Nationalist | Country gain from Nationalist | Swing | N/A | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1910s
  
  1917 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | National Liberal | William Nairn | 1,004 | 53.4 | +12.3 |
  | | Nationalist | Thomas Ilbery | 876 | 46.6 | +32.0 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,880 | 99.5 | +1.1 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 10 | 0.5 | –1.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,890 | 58.0 | –9.5 |
  | | National Liberal hold | National Liberal hold | Swing | –0.1 | |
  
  * Nairn's designation at the 1914 election was simply "Liberal", rather than "National Liberal".
  
  1914 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Philip Turvey | 1,186 | 44.3 | -6.9 |
  | | Liberal | William Nairn | 1,100 | 41.1 | -7.7 |
  | | Independent | Thomas Ilbery | 392 | 14.6 | +14.6 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,678 | 98.4 | -1.2 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 44 | 1.6 | +1.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,722 | 67.5 | -10.3 |
  | Two-party-preferred result ||||||
  | | Liberal | William Nairn | 1,433 | 53.5 | +4.7 |
  | | Labor | Philip Turvey | 1,245 | 46.5 | -4.7 |
  | | Liberal gain from Labor | Liberal gain from Labor | Swing | +4.7 | |
  
  1911 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Philip Turvey | 1,012 | 51.2 |
  | | Ministerial | Mathieson Jacoby | 963 | 48.8 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,975 | 99.6 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 7 | 0.4 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,982 | 77.8 |
  | | Labor gain from Ministerial | Labor gain from Ministerial | Swing | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1900s
  
  1908 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Ministerial | Mathieson Jacoby | 677 | 40.0 | -8.1 |
  | | Ministerial | Arthur Gull | 391 | 23.1 | -28.8 |
  | | Ministerial | Archibald Sanderson | 328 | 19.4 | +19.4 |
  | | Labor | Hugh Linnanne | 297 | 17.5 | +17.5 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,693 | 99.0 | -0.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 17 | 1.0 | +0.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,710 | 53.2 | +18.8 |
  | Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
  | | Ministerial | Mathieson Jacoby | 892 | 58.7 | +10.6 |
  | | Ministerial | Arthur Gull | 627 | 41.2 | -10.6 |
  | | Ministerial hold | Ministerial hold | Swing | +10.6 | |
  
  1905 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Ministerial | Arthur Gull | 469 | 51.9 | +51.9 |
  | | Ministerial | Mathieson Jacoby | 434 | 48.1 | +48.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 903 | 99.8 | +0.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2 | 0.2 | –0.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 906 | 34.4 | –10.3 |
  | | Ministerial hold | Ministerial hold | Swing | N/A | |
  
  1904 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent | Mathieson Jacoby | 712 | 58.6 | +13.9 |
  | | Independent | William Leslie | 503 | 41.4 | +41.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,215 | 99.0 | +1.6 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 12 | 1.0 | –1.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,227 | 44.7 | –0.3 |
  | | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +13.9 | |
  
  1901 Western Australian state election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Opposition | Mathieson Jacoby | 249 | 44.7 | +44.7 |
  | | Ministerial | Robert Wolfe | 128 | 23.0 | +23.0 |
  | | Labor | George Hogarth | 115 | 20.6 | +20.6 |
  | | Independent | William Thomas | 44 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
  | | Ministerial | Hugh McKernan | 21 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 557 | 97.4 | ±0.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 15 | 2.6 | ±0.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 572 | 45.0 | –6.5 |
  | | Opposition gain from Independent | Opposition gain from Independent | Swing | +44.7 | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1890s
  
  1897 Western Australian colonial election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent | Norman Ewing | 116 | 38.4 |
  | | Ministerial | William Johnson | 91 | 30.1 |
  | | Ministerial | James Morrison | 82 | 27.2 |
  | | Ministerial | James Huelin | 13 | 4.3 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 302 | 97.4 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 8 | 2.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 310 | 51.5 |
  | | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
  
  1894 Western Australian colonial election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | None | William Loton | unopposed | | |
  
  1890 Western Australian colonial election: Swan :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | None | William Loton | 83 | 55.3 | n/a |
  | | None | Samuel Hamersley | 67 | 44.7 | n/a |
  