title: Electoral results for the district of Durham
text: # Electoral results for the district of Durham
  
  Durham, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, was created in 1856 and abolished in 1859. It was recreated in 1880 and abolished in 1920.
  
  | Election | Member | Member | Party | Member | Party | Member | Party |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1856 | | Richard Jones | None | William Arnold | None | Samuel Gordon | None |
  | 1858 | | Richard Jones | None | William Arnold | None | Samuel Gordon | None |
  | Election | Member | Member | Party |
  | 1880 | | Herbert Brown | None |
  | 1882 | | Herbert Brown | None |
  | 1885 | | Herbert Brown | None |
  | 1887 | | Herbert Brown | Free Trade |
  | 1889 | | Herbert Brown | Free Trade |
  | 1891 | | Herbert Brown | Free Trade |
  | 1894 | | Herbert Brown | Ind. Free Trade |
  | 1895 | | Herbert Brown | Protectionist |
  | 1898 | | Walter Bennett | Ind. Protectionist |
  | 1901 | | Walter Bennett | Progressive |
  | 1904 | | Walter Bennett | Progressive |
  | 1907 | | William Brown | Independent Liberal |
  | 1910 | | William Brown | Liberal Reform |
  | 1913 | | William Brown | Liberal Reform |
  | 1917 | | Walter Bennett | Independent |
  
  ## Election results
  
  ### Elections in the 1910s
  
  **1917**
  
  1917 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Nationalist | William Brown | 2,767 | 45.0 | -5.4 |
  | | Independent | Walter Bennett | 1,872 | 30.5 | -11.8 |
  | | Labor | Walter O'Hearn | 1,029 | 16.8 | +9.5 |
  | | Independent | Daniel Ferry | 475 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 6,143 | 98.7 | +0.9 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 78 | 1.3 | -0.9 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,221 | 65.9 | -8.0 |
  
  1917 New South Wales state election: Durham - Second Round :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent | Walter Bennett | 3,021 | 50.1 | |
  | | Nationalist | William Brown | 3,005 | 49.9 | |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 6,026 | 99.4 | +0.7 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 39 | 0.6 | -0.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,065 | 64.3 | -1.6 |
  | | Independent gain from Nationalist | Independent gain from Nationalist | | | |
  
  **1913**
  
  1913 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Farmers and Settlers | William Brown | 3,509 | 50.4 |
  | | Country Party Association | Walter Bennett | 2,944 | 42.3 |
  | | Labor | William Walton | 505 | 7.3 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 6,958 | 97.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 158 | 2.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,116 | 73.9 |
  | | Member changed to Farmers and Settlers from Liberal Reform | Member changed to Farmers and Settlers from Liberal Reform | | |
  
  **1910**
  
  1910 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal Reform | William Brown | 2,726 | 48.3 | -2.3 |
  | | Independent Liberal | Walter Bennett | 2,155 | 38.2 | -11.2 |
  | | Labor | Robert Elkin | 763 | 13.5 | |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 5,644 | 98.2 | +0.6 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 106 | 1.8 | -0.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,750 | 71.4 | +2.9 |
  
  1910 New South Wales state election: Durham - Second Round :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal Reform | William Brown | 3,169 | 50.5 | -0.1 |
  | | Independent Liberal | Walter Bennett | 3,106 | 49.5 | +0.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 6,275 | 99.0 | +1.4 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 64 | 1.0 | -1.4 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,339 | 78.7 | +10.2 |
  | | Member changed to Liberal Reform from Independent Liberal | Member changed to Liberal Reform from Independent Liberal | | | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1900s
  
  **1907**
  
  1907 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent Liberal | William Brown | 2,221 | 50.6 |
  | | Former Progressive | Walter Bennett (defeated) | 2,166 | 49.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 4,387 | 97.6 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 108 | 2.4 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,495 | 68.5 |
  | | Independent Liberal gain from Progressive | Independent Liberal gain from Progressive | | |
  
  **1904**
  
  1904 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Progressive | Walter Bennett | 2,196 | 46.4 |
  | | Liberal Reform | Herbert Brown | 1,617 | 34.2 |
  | | Independent | William Brown | 919 | 19.4 |
  | | Independent Liberal | Richard Price | 3 | 0.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 4,735 | 98.9 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 51 | 1.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,786 | 69.1 |
  | | Progressive hold | Progressive hold | | |
  
  **1901**
  
  1901 New South Wales state election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Progressive | Walter Bennett | unopposed | | |
  | | Member changed to Progressive from Independent Progressive | Member changed to Progressive from Independent Progressive | | | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1890s
  
  **1898**
  
  1898 New South Wales colonial election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent Federalist | Walter Bennett | 929 | 53.1 |
  | | National Federal | Herbert Brown | 820 | 46.9 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,749 | 98.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 21 | 1.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,770 | 76.6 |
  | | Independent Federalist gain from National Federal | Independent Federalist gain from National Federal | | |
  
  **1895**
  
  1895 New South Wales colonial election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Protectionist | Herbert Brown | 781 | 77.6 |
  | | Ind. Protectionist | Erskine Smith | 226 | 22.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,007 | 99.2 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 8 | 0.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,015 | 48.1 |
  | | Member changed to Protectionist from Ind. Free Trade | Member changed to Protectionist from Ind. Free Trade | | |
  
  **1894**
  
  1894 New South Wales colonial election: Durham :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Ind. Free Trade | Herbert Brown | 962 | 59.7 |
  | | Ind. Protectionist | John Wade | 607 | 37.7 |
  | | Ind. Protectionist | Charles Duffy | 42 | 2.6 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,611 | 98.2 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 30 | 1.8 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,641 | 76.8 |
  | | Member changed to Ind. Free Trade from Free Trade | Member changed to Ind. Free Trade from Free Trade | | |
  
  **1891**
  
  1891 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Saturday 27 June :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Free Trade | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | 662 | 56.3 |
  | | Protectionist | William Donnelly | 289 | 24.6 |
  | | Protectionist | James Boydell | 224 | 19.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,175 | 97.8 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 26 | 2.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,201 | 68.6 |
  | | Free Trade hold | Free Trade hold | | |
  
  ### Elections in the 1880s
  
  **1889**
  
  1889 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Saturday 16 February :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Free Trade | Herbert Brown (elected) | 626 | 56.5 |
  | | Protectionist | John Wade | 482 | 43.5 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,108 | 97.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 29 | 2.6 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,137 | 72.1 |
  | | Free Trade hold | Free Trade hold | | |
  
  **1887**
  
  1887 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Saturday 26 February :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Free Trade | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | 591 | 57.9 |
  | | Ind. Free Trade | John Wade | 429 | 42.1 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,020 | 97.1 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 30 | 2.9 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,050 | 70.4 |
  
  **1885**
  
  1885 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Monday 26 October :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | 737 | 72.6 |
  | William Johnston | William Johnston | 278 | 27.4 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,015 | 97.9 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | 22 | 2.1 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | 1,037 | 72.4 |
  
  **1882**
  
  1882 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Monday 4 December :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | unopposed | |
  
  **1880**
  
  1880 New South Wales colonial election: Durham Monday 22 November :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | Herbert Brown (re-elected) | 660 | 63.2 |
  | William Johnston (defeated) | William Johnston (defeated) | 385 | 36.8 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,045 | 98.5 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | 16 | 1.5 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 72.1 |
  | | | (new seat) | (new seat) |
  
  District re-created
  
  **1859 - 1880**
  
  District abolished
  
  ### Elections in the 1850s
  
  **1858**
  
  1858 New South Wales colonial election: Durham 5 February :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Samuel Gordon (re-elected 1) | Samuel Gordon (re-elected 1) | 416 | 33.0 |
  | William Arnold (re-elected 2) | William Arnold (re-elected 2) | 408 | 32.4 |
  | Richard Jones (re-elected 3) | Richard Jones (re-elected 3) | 355 | 28.2 |
  | Edward Hargraves | Edward Hargraves | 79 | 6.3 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,258 | 100.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | 1,258 | 28.8 |
  
  **1856**
  
  1856 New South Wales colonial election: Durham :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Richard Jones (elected 1) | Richard Jones (elected 1) | 660 | 30.7 |
  | Samuel Gordon (elected 2) | Samuel Gordon (elected 2) | 550 | 25.6 |
  | William Arnold (elected 3) | William Arnold (elected 3) | 380 | 17.7 |
  | Andrew Lang | Andrew Lang | 349 | 16.3 |
  | Alexander Park | Alexander Park | 209 | 9.7 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,148 | 100.0 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | 0 | 0.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | 842 | 58.51 |
  