The February 1880 Victorian colonial election was held on 28 February 1880 to elect the 10th
Parliament of Victoria. All 86 seats in 55 electorates in the
Legislative Assembly were up for election, though two seats were uncontested.
There were 31 single-member, 20 two-member and 5 three-member electorates.
[
The liberal (or protectionist) government of ]Graham Berry
Sir Graham Berry, (28 August 1822 – 25 January 1904),
Australian colonial politician, was the 11th Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most radical and colourful figures in the politics of colonial Victoria, and made the most determined e ...
was narrowly defeated by the Constitutionalist (moderate liberal) opposition led by James Service, who formed a new government on March 5.[Geoffrey Serle (1976)]
James Service (1823–1899)
''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' website, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University; accessed 11 December 2023.
Results
Aftermath
Although James Service won the February 1880 election with a workable majority, he remained Premier for only six months after an unsuccessful attempt to reform the Legislative Council. The Service Reform Bill provided for a wider Legislative Council franchise and a double dissolution if the Council twice rejected a bill passed by the Assembly in two consecutive sessions (followed by a joint sitting of the Houses). In June 1880 a motion for the second reading of the reform bill in the Legislative Assembly was lost by two votes, after which Service was granted a dissolution in the full confidence he would win the subsequent election.Editorial
''The Ballarat Courier'', 26 June 1880, page 2.[
]
See also
* Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, 1880–1883
This is a list of members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, from the elections of 28 February 1880.
Another election was held on 14 July 1880, see second table below. Victoria was a British self-governing colony in Australia at the time.
...
References
{{Victorian elections
History of Australia