Southern Rhodesian general election, 1939

Southern Rhodesian general election, 1939

April 14, 1939 (1939-04-14)

All 30 seats to the Legislative Assembly 16 seats needed for a majority Turnout 76.7%   First party Second party Third party   Leader Godfrey Huggins Harry Herbert Davies Party United Party Rhodesia Labour Party Reform Party Leader's seat Salisbury North Hillside Last election 24 seats, 61.9% 5 seats, 26.9% 1 seat, 11.2% Seats before 24 5 1 Seats won 23 7 0 Seat change 1 2 1 Popular vote 11,161 7,353 2,773 Percentage 50.4% 33.2% 12.5% Swing 11.5 6.3% 1.3%

Prime Minister before election Godfrey Huggins United Party Elected Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins United Party

The Southern Rhodesia general election of 14 April 1939 was the fifth election since the colony of Southern Rhodesia was granted self-government. Prime Minister Godfrey Huggins' United Party government were re-elected in a landslide. The election was called slightly earlier than the deadline as Huggins feared the German invasion of Czechoslovakia would lead to European War.

Franchise and electoral procedure

In 1937, a new Electoral Act was passed. The franchise was extended slightly to those who were not British subjects but who had been in active wartime service in the armed forces. Electors were also required to have lived for three months in their electoral districts. The requirement for qualifying for the vote on the basis of receiving salary or wages of £100 per annum was extended also to people with income of £100 per annum, a change which principally benefited those who had investment income but few assets. Voters were also no longer required to demonstrate proficiency in English through a dictation test. The postal vote, which had been introduced in 1928, was extended in 1937 to all voters living more than 25 miles away from the nearest polling station. Finally, those who had drawn government rations were disenfranchised.

Electoral districts

A boundary revision in 1938 enabled the elimination of the four remaining double-member electoral districts as the Colony was split into 30 single-member districts.

Summary result

Electorate: 28,894 (in contested seats, 28,032) Turnout: 76.7%

Results

• Ind – Independent
• Lab – Rhodesia Labour Party
• RP – Rhodesia Party
• Union – Union Party
• UP – United Party

Byelections

Salisbury Gardens

Sir Percival Fynn died on 25 April 1940. Owing to the war, normal party politics had been suspended and a joint selection conference including members of both the United Party and the Rhodesia Labour Party was included. Four candidates stood for the selection: Cecil Douglas Dryden (United Party), Mrs. Gladys Maasdorp (Rhodesia Labour Party), Arthur William Redfern (Independent) and O.P. Wheeler (Independent). Redfern was selected and returned unopposed on 26 June 1940.

Umtali North

Edgar Whitehead resigned from the Assembly on 24 June 1940. A byelection was held to replace him on 27 August 1940.

Hartley

Hugh Volant Wheeler resigned on 30 June 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on 27 August 1940.

Lomagundi

Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings resigned on 30 June 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on 27 August 1940.

Victoria

William Alexander Eustace Winterton resigned on 30 October 1940. A byelection was held on 10 December 1940.

Insiza

Robert Clarkson Tredgold resigned on 28 February 1943. A byelection was held on 21 April 1943 to replace him.

References

• Source Book of Parliamentary Elections and Referenda in Southern Rhodesia 1898–1962 ed. by F.M.G. Willson (Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1963)
• Holders of Administrative and Ministerial Office 1894–1964 by F.M.G. Willson and G.C. Passmore, assisted by Margaret T. Mitchell (Source Book No. 3, Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1966)

Elections and referendums in Zimbabwe and its antecedents Presidential elections 1990 1996 2002 2008 2013 Parliamentary elections 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1920 1924 1928 1933 1934 1939 1946 1948 1954 1958 1962 1965 1970 1974 1977 1979 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2008 2013 Senate elections 2005 2008 2013 Referendums 1922 1934 1953 1961 1964 1969 1979 2000 2013 See also: Elections in the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland