Electoral district of University of Sydney

University of Sydney was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1876 to 1880. It was established in the 1858 redistribution to be elected by graduates of the University of Sydney once there were 100 eligible electors.[1][2][3][4]

Under the Electoral Act 1858, the University of Sydney was entitled to a seat in the Legislative Assembly, elected by graduates, once there was a body of 100 graduates. The university petitioned the Governor in 1876 for the creation of a seat, listing the names of 10 Doctors of Law, 9 Doctors of Medicine and 92 Masters of Arts who were living in the colony. The Chancellor and Returning Officer Edward Deas Thomson published a notice for the election, with polling taking place in the ante-room adjoining the Great Hall. Underneath, Registrar Hugh Kennedy published the following note. 'As it appears that there is no legal necessity for members of the University who take part in the Election of a Representative to appear in academic costume, they will not be required to do so; but they are requested, if they conveniently can, to comply with the customary practice on such occasions.' Oddly, the next day the notice had been amended to say academic costume was 'required'.[5]

Members for University of Sydney

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Member Party Period
  William Windeyer None 1876–1879
  Edmund Barton None 1879–1880

Election results

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1879 University of Sydney by-election
Tuesday 26 August [6]
Candidate Votes %
Edmund Barton (elected) 58 60
Arthur Renwick 38 40
Total formal votes 96 100
Informal votes 0 0
Turnout 96 57
William Windeyer resigned.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Part 5B alphabetical list of all electorates and Members since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  2. ^ Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of University of Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Sir William Charles Windeyer (1834–1897)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Sir Edmund Barton GCMG (1849–1920)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  5. ^ Green, Antony. "1876 University of Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b Green, Antony. "August 1879 University of Sydney by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 31 October 2020.