The 1856 Victorian colonial election was the inaugural election of the Parliament of Victoria. The election was to return 60 members to the Legislative Assembly, composed of 37 electoral districts. There were 20 single-member, 14 two-member, and one each of three-member, four-member and five-member electorates, all of which utilised a first past the post voting system. The voting was carried out by secret ballot.The Coming Elections, Geelong Advertiser and Intelligencer, 15 April 1856, page 2.The Electoral Act of 1856 (Victoria), Victorian Historical Acts, Austlii website; accessed 1 February 2024.

The eligibility to vote at the 1856 Victorian election was subject to a property qualification. In multi-member districts, because each voter could cast more than one vote, it is not possible to total the votes to show the number of voters and total turnout. 8 members from 7 districts were returned unopposed.

Results by district Alberton

Anglesey

Belfast

Brighton

Castlemaine Boroughs

Colac

Andrew Rutherford was elected from the casting vote of the returning officer.

Collingwood

Dundas and Follett

East Bourke

Evelyn and Mornington

Geelong

Gippsland

Kilmore

At nomination, the vote count was recorded as 55 votes for O'Shanassy, 40 votes for McCulla, and 35 votes for Snodgrass. McCulla then withdrew after nominations were finalised. While final polling figures were not publicly released, O'Shanassy was reported to have won against Snodgrass by 8 votes.

Kyneton Boroughs

Loddon

Melbourne

As O'Shanassy won both Melbourne and Kilmore districts, he decided to represent the latter and resigned as a member for Melbourne. The ensuing by-election for Melbourne in January 1857 was won by Langlands.

The Murray

Murray Boroughs

Normanby

North Grant

North Grenville

Ovens

Polwarth, Ripon, Hampden and South Grenville

Portland

Richmond

Rodney

Sandhurst Boroughs

South Bourke

South Grant

South Melbourne

St Kilda

Talbot

Villiers and Heytesbury

Warrnambool

West Bourke

Williamstown

Wimmera

See also

Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1856–1859

References