title: 1880 Northumberland colonial by-election
text: # 1880 Northumberland colonial by-election
  
  A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Northumberland on 30 April 1880 because Thomas Hungerford resigned attend to personal business matters.
  
  ## Dates
  
  | Date | Event |
  | - | - |
  | 14 April 1880 | Thomas Hungerford resigned. |
  | 15 April 1880 | Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. |
  | 28 April 1880 | Nominations. |
  | 30 April 1880 | Polling day between 9 am and 4 pm. |
  | 10 May 1880 | Return of writ |
  
  ## Candidates
  
  * Joseph Creer was a cabinet maker and Newcastle councillor. This was his first candidacy for the Legislative Assembly.
  * Sir William Gordon was a surgeon from Murrurundi. This was his tenth and final time standing unsuccessfully for the Legislative Assembly.
  * George Maclean was a free selector. He had previously stood unsuccessfully for the Liverpool Plains by-election in 1876.
  * Ninian Melville was chairman of the Working Men's Defence Association and campaigned on a platform of protectionism and opposition to assisted immigration. He had twice been defeated for East Sydney in 1877 at the by-election in August and the general election in October.
  
  ## Result
  
  1880 Northumberland by-election Friday 30 April :
  
  | Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Ninian Melville (elected) | Ninian Melville (elected) | 1,240 | 42.0 |
  | Joseph Creer | Joseph Creer | 931 | 31.6 |
  | Sir William Gordon | Sir William Gordon | 749 | 25.4 |
  | George Maclean | George Maclean | 30 | 1.0 |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,950 | 96.3 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | 112 | 3.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | 3,062 | 60.6 |
  