COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 5 MAY 1917
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SENATE ELECTION
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VICTORIA (Three senators to be elected)
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Enrolled voters:                          819,707         +00.6
Votes cast:                               687,935   83.9  +04.7
Informal votes:                            22,062   03.2  -00.1
Formal votes:                             665,873   97.8  +00.1
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Candidate                      Party        Votes   %
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Albert Blakey *                ALP        301,286   45.2
William BOLTON                 Nat        364,846   54.8  ELECTED 2
George FAIRBAIRN               Nat        367,402   55.2  ELECTED 1
Hon Edward Findley *           ALP        295,087   44.3
Vida Goldstein                              7,768   01.2
Andrew McKissock *             ALP        297,432   44.7
William PLAIN                  Nat        363,798   54.6  ELECTED 3
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Total                                   1,997,619
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Percentages shown are percentages of 665,873, indicating the 
proportion of voters who supported each candidate. The percentages 
column will thus add up to 300%, since each voter cast three votes.
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Senators' terms began 1 July 1917. Bolton, Fairbairn and Plain 
elected for a term ending 30 June 1923. Continuing senators (term 
to end 30 June 1920): John BARNES (ALP), Stephen BARKER (ALP),
 Hon Edward RUSSELL (Nat).
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> Stephen Barker (1854-1924): Elected 1910, 1914
> John Barnes (1868-1938): Elected 1913, 1914
> Albert Edward Howarth Blakey (1879-1935): Elected 1910, 1914. 
Defeated 1917
Died 4 July 1935
> William Kinsey Bolton (1861-1941): Elected 1917
Born: 2 November 1861, Cheshire, England
Career: Migrated as child. Educated Sydney School of Mines. 
Victorian Public Works Department from 1887. Military Service 
1914-15. 
> George Fairbairn (1855-1943): Elected 1917 
Born: 23 March 1855, Geelong, Victoria.
Career: Educated Geelong Grammar School and Cambridge University.
Managed family properties Queensland. Founded financial company, 
Melbourne, boards of many companies, insurance houses, part-owner 
The Argus. President Victorian Employers Federation. Uncle of Hon 
James Fairbairn MP and grandfather of Hon David Fairbairn MP.
State politics: Vic MLA for Toorak 1903-06.
House of Representatives: MHR for Fawkner 1906-13.
> Edward Findley (1862-1947): Elected 1903, 1910, 1914. Defeated 
1917
Later career: See Senate 1922. 
> Andrew Nelson McKissock (1873-1919): Elected 1914. Defeated 1917
Later career: ALP organiser.
Died 17 July 1919
> William Plain (1868-1961): Elected 1917 
Born: 1868, Scotland
Career: Educated Scotland. Migrated 1890. Farmworker, goldminer. 
Farmer at Lara, Victoria. Left ALP 1916.
State politics: Vic MLA for Geelong 1908-17. President Board of 
Land and Works 1913, Commissioner Crown Lands and Survey 1913, 
Minister for Water Supply and Agriculture 1913.
> Edward John Russell (1879-1925): Elected 1906, 1913, 1914
Honorary Minister 
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