# 1966 Australian Senate election

Special Senate elections were held on 26 November 1966 to elect members to fill casual vacancies in the Australian Senate for the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
Prior to 29 July 1977, the filing of casual vacancies was complex. While senators were elected for a six-year term, people appointed to a casual vacancy only held office until the earlier of the next election for the House of Representatives or the Senate, at which the vacancy would be filled by the electors of the relevant state.
This was one of the few occasions in which there was a special election for the Senate, as the House of Representatives and Senate elections had got out of synchronisation as a result of Robert Menzies calling an early House-only election in 1963.
Because of the loss of a seat in Western Australia, the Coalition held less than half of the seats in the chamber; the Democratic Labor Party and independent senator Reg Turnbull held the balance of power.

## Australia

Senate (STV) — 1966—Turnout 95.05% (CV) — Informal 5.34% :
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats won | Seats held | Change |
| | Liberal | 1,645,319 | 34.21 | 3 | 22 | 1 |
| | Country | 761,449 | 15.83 | 1 | 7 | |
| Coalition total | Coalition total | 2,406,768 | 50.040 | 4 | 29 | 1 |
| Labor | Labor | 1,897,049 | 39.45 | 2 | 28 | 1 |
| Democratic Labor | Democratic Labor | 421,959 | 8.77 | − | 2 | |
| Liberal Reform Group | Liberal Reform Group | 43,716 | 0.91 | | | |
| Independent | Independent | 39,799 | 0.83 | | 1 | |
| Total | Total | 4,809,291 | | 6 | 54 | |

## New South Wales

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, New South Wales :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Quota | Quota | Quota | 1,046,934 | |
| | Liberal | Bob Cotton (re-elected 1) | 1,056,968 | 50.48 |
| | Labor | Clive Evatt | 908,763 | 43.40 |
| | Democratic Labor | Gwynydd Meredith | 128,136 | 6.12 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 2,093,867 | 95.75 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 92,949 | 4.25 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,186,816 | 94.72 |

## Queensland

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Queensland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Quota | Quota | Quota | 417,438 | |
| | Liberal | Bill Heatley (re-elected) | 426,726 | 51.11 |
| | Labor | Bertie Milliner | 328,289 | 39.32 |
| | Democratic Labor | Rogers Judge | 62,870 | 7.53 |
| | Independent | Ian Kent | 16,989 | 2.03 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 834,874 | 97.32 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 22,956 | 2.68 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 857,830 | 95.26 |

## Victoria

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Quota | Quota | Quota | 593,218 | |
| | Country | 1. James Webster (re-elected 1) 2. Lloyd Atkin | 761,449 | 50.26 |
| | Labor | 1. George Poyser (re-elected 2) 2. Giuseppe Di Salvo | 507,188 | 33.48 |
| | Democratic Labor | 1. Jack Little 2. Frank Dowling | 190,681 | 12.59 |
| | Liberal Reform Group | 1. Edwin Ryan | 43,716 | 2.89 |
| | Independent | 1. Kenneth Nolan 2. Laurence Hoult | 11,933 | 0.79 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 4,152,524 | 95.83 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 180,743 | 4.17 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,333,267 | 93.98 |

## Western Australia

1966 Australian federal election: Senate special, Western Australia :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Quota | Quota | Quota | 121,862 | |
| | Liberal | 1. Peter Sim (re-elected 1) 2. Reg Withers (defeated) 3. Victor Garland | 161,625 | 44.21 |
| | Labor | 1. Laurie Wilkinson (elected 2) 2. John Henshaw | 152,809 | 41.80 |
| | Democratic Labor | 1. Mark Briffa 2. Lydia Obbes | 40,272 | 11.02 |
| | Independent | 1. Frederick Simpson 2. John Huelin | 10,877 | 2.98 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 365,583 | 89.26 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 43,987 | 10.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 409,570 | 94.57 |

## Changing seats

| State | 1963 election | 1963 election | 1963 election | 1963 election | Appointment | Appointment | Appointment | Appointment | 1966 Election | 1966 Election | 1966 Election |
| State | Party | Party | Member | Term | Party | Party | Member | Date | Member | Party | Party |
| New South Wales | | Liberal | Bill Spooner | 1963-1968 | | Liberal | Bob Cotton | 4 August 1965 | Bob Cotton | Liberal | |
| Victoria | | Labor | Charles Sandford | 1963-1968 | | Labor | George Poyser | 26 October 1966 | George Poyser | Labor | |
| Victoria | | Country | Harrie Wade | 1963-1968 | | Country | James Webster | 9 December 1964 | James Webster | Country | |
| Queensland | | Liberal | Bob Sherrington | 1963-1968 | | Liberal | Bill Heatley | 14 April 1966 | Bill Heatley | Liberal | |
| Western Australia | | Liberal | Sir Shane Paltridge | 1963-1968 | | Liberal | Reg Withers | 17 February 1966 | Laurie Wilkinson | Labor | |
| Western Australia | | Liberal | Seddon Vincent | 1963-1968 | | Liberal | Peter Sim | 26 November 1964 | Peter Sim | Liberal | |