# 1939 Southern Rhodesian general election

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

## Electoral system

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.
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.

## Results

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
| | United Party | 11,161 | 50.37 | 23 | –1 |
| | Rhodesia Labour Party | 7,353 | 33.18 | 7 | +2 |
| | Reform Party | 2,773 | 12.51 | 0 | –1 |
| | Union Party | 380 | 1.71 | 0 | New |
| | Independents | 492 | 2.22 | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 22,159 | 100.00 | 30 | 0 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 28,032 | – | | |
| Source: Willson ||||||

### By constituency

Avondale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Harry Bertin | 571 | | N/A |
| | Labour | Colin Ross McLachlan | 217 | | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 962 | 82.9 | N/A |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Bulawayo Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | William Hives Eastwood | 393 | | |
| | Reform | James Cowden | 272 | | |
| | Labour | Philip Harvey Veale | 251 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,116 | 82.1 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Bulawayo East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | John Banks Brady | 639 | | |
| | Reform | Donald MacGillivray | 227 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,025 | 84.5 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Bulawayo North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Hugh Beadle | 461 | | |
| | Reform | Charles Edward Harrison | 243 | | |
| | Labour | William John Phelps | 165 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,023 | 84.9 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Bulawayo South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Donald MacIntyre | 534 | |
| | United | Robert Woodward Hammond | 461 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,279 | 77.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Charter :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Ernest Lucas Guest | 355 | |
| | Union Party | Johan Christoffel Kruger | 181 | |
| | Labour | Henry Stephen Sharp | 151 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 838 | 82.3 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Eastern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Jacobus Petrus De Kock | 399 | |
| | Union Party | Douglas Abrahamson | 199 | |
| | Labour | Reginald Herbert Bruce Dickson | 182 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,004 | 77.7 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Gatooma :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Thomas Alfred Kimble | 416 | |
| | United | James Dalton | 293 | |
| | Reform | Thomas James Golding | 173 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,031 | 85.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Gwanda :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Frank Ernest Harris | 381 | |
| | Reform | David Wood Young | 216 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 839 | 71.2 |
| | United gain from Reform | United gain from Reform | Swing | |
Gwelo :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Frank Delano Thompson | 326 | |
| | Reform | Robert Williamson | 243 | |
| | Labour | William John Bassett | 184 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 954 | 78.9 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Hartley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Hugh Volant Wheeler | 264 | |
| | Reform | William Muter Leggate | 215 | |
| | Independent | Henry Hamilton Beamish | 196 | |
| | Labour | John Allen | 121 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 969 | 82.1 |
| | United gain from Independent | United gain from Independent | Swing | |
Highlands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Leslie Benjamin Fereday | 447 | | |
| | Labour | William Frith Wilson | 267 | | |
| | Reform | John Arthur Douglas Hawksley | 68 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 953 | 82.1 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Hillside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry Davies | 544 | | |
| | United | George Victor Wallace | 329 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,017 | 85.8 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
Insiza :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Robert Clarkson Tredgold | 335 | |
| | Labour | James Turner Durward | 198 | |
| | Reform | Leo George Robinson | 116 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 887 | 73.2 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Lomagudi :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings | 393 | |
| | Labour | Otilia Liebermann | 142 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 834 | 64.1 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Marandellas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | William Henry Ralston | 366 | |
| | Labour | Alexander Aitken Draper | 148 | |
| | Reform | Alfred William Vincent Crawley | 147 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 891 | 74.2 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Mazoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Edward Walter Lionel Noaks | 402 | |
| | Labour | Jack Herbert Keightley | 139 | |
| | Reform | James Murdoch Eaton | 75 | |
| | Independent | Mark Douglas Claxton | 73 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 873 | 78.9 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Que Que :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Charles Walter Leppington | 434 | |
| | Labour | de Lacey Henry Stowe | 422 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,072 | 79.9 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Raylton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Lawrence John Walter Keller | 559 | |
| | United | Charles Spencer | 210 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 954 | 80.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Salisbury Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Edgar Pope Vernall | 408 | | |
| | Labour | Gladys Maasdorp | 288 | | |
| | Reform | George Harry Stone | 139 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,089 | 76.4 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Salisbury City :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Jacob Hendrik Smit | 519 | | |
| | Labour | Alec Pelham | 276 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,012 | 78.6 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Salisbury Gardens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Sir Percival Donald Leslie Fynn | 410 | | |
| | Reform | Lancelot Middleton Foggin | 155 | | |
| | Labour | Rex Atherton Rawstorne | 111 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 966 | 76.4 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Salisbury North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Godfrey Huggins | unopposed | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 862 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |
Salisbury South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | George Henry Walker | 546 | |
| | United | Heiman Joseph Hoffman | 283 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,049 | 79.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Selukwe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Max Danziger | 410 | |
| | Reform | Ernest Millington | 321 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 954 | 76.6 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Umtali North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | Edgar Whitehead | 498 | |
| | Labour | Thomas Norris | 209 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 844 | 83.8 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Untali South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | James Brown Lister | 401 | |
| | Independent | Matthew Henry Gibson | 223 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 820 | 76. |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | United | William Alexander Eustace Winterton | 497 | |
| | Labour | Robert Joseph Austin | 286 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1104 | 77.2 |
| | United hold | United hold | Swing | |
Wankie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Allan Watson Whittington | 346 | |
| | United | Cyril Mainwaring Newman | 311 | |
| | Reform | Henry Robert Barbour | 73 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,000 | 73.0 |
| | Labour gain from United | Labour gain from United | Swing | |
Western :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Patrick Bissett Fletcher | 366 | | |
| | Labour | Albert James Davies | 247 | | |
| | Reform | Wilfred Denton Estment | 93 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 894 | 79.0 | |
| | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) | United win (new seat) |

## 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.
| Constituency Electorate and turnout | Candidate | Party | Votes |
| UMTALI NORTH 821 (53.8%) | Tom Ian Finlay Wilson | UP | 312 |
| UMTALI NORTH 821 (53.8%) | Thomas Norris | Lab | 130 |

### Hartley

Hugh Volant Wheeler resigned on 30 June 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on 27 August 1940.
| Constituency Electorate and turnout | Candidate | Party | Votes |
| HARTLEY 943 (49.9%) | William Muter Leggate | RP | 247 |
| HARTLEY 943 (49.9%) | Tom Cecil Leonard Howard | Ind | 120 |
| HARTLEY 943 (49.9%) | Leonard Tolcher Tracey | Ind | 104 |

### Lomagundi

Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings resigned on 30 June 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on 27 August 1940.
| Constituency Electorate and turnout | Candidate | Party | Votes |
| LOMAGUNDI 827 (48.1%) | George Henry Hackwill | UP | 220 |
| LOMAGUNDI 827 (48.1%) | Edward George Holman | Ind | 178 |

### Victoria

William Alexander Eustace Winterton resigned on 30 October 1940. A byelection was held on 10 December 1940.
| Constituency Electorate and turnout | Candidate | Party | Votes |
| VICTORIA 1,014 (61.4%) | Walter Brumage Richards | UP | 232 |
| VICTORIA 1,014 (61.4%) | Harry Joseph Filmer | Lab | 228 |
| VICTORIA 1,014 (61.4%) | Richard Fraser Dott | Ind National | 163 |

### Insiza

Robert Clarkson Tredgold resigned on 28 February 1943. A byelection was held on 21 April 1943 to replace him.
| Constituency | Candidate | Party | Votes |
| INSIZA | Leslie Thomas Smith | The Labour Party | 280 |
| INSIZA | Victor Henry Sauerman | Lab | 197 |
| INSIZA | John Everett Chick | UP | 151 |