1940 Australian federal election

The 15th parliament elected in the 1937 election first sat on 30 November 1937.^[1] Under the constitution, the parliament would expire in November 1940 and a general election would have to held by January 1941.^[2][3] Throughout 1940, there were debates on whether the general election should be held or postponed in the midst of a world war.^[4] Throughout July and August 1940, Prime Minister Robert Menzies contemplated the prospect of an early election.^[5] The loss of three Cabinet ministers in the 1940 Canberra air disaster on 13 August also meant that three by-elections would have been required, followed within a few short months by a general election.

Both the Coalition and Labor supported Australia's ongoing participation in World War II. The Coalition's advertisements asked Australians to "Cast Your Vote for Unity and an All-in War Effort / Back the Government that's Backing Churchill", with a large picture of the British Prime Minister. Labor promised "A New Deal / for the Soldier / for the Soldier's wife / Widows, the Aged and Infirm / the Taxpayer / the Working Man / the Primary Producer".^[6]

House of Reps (IRV) — 1940–43—Turnout 94.82% (CV) — Informal 2.56%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	UAP–Country coalition		1,703,185	43.93	–4.65	36	–8
		United Australia	1,171,788	30.22	–3.49	23	–5
		Country	531,397	13.71	–1.84	13	–3
	Labor		1,556,941	40.16	−3.01	32	+3
	Labor (Non-Communist)		202,721	5.23	+5.23	4	+4
	State Labor		101,191	2.61	+2.61	0	0
	Defence Movement		15,313	0.40	+0.40	0	0
	Protestant Labor		8,300	0.21	+0.21	0	0
	Independents		289,335	7.46	+1.90	3[c]	0
	Total		3,876,986			75
Two-party-preferred (estimated)
	UAP–Country coalition			49.70	−0.90	36	−8
	Labor			50.30	+0.90	32	+3

Notes

• Independents: Arthur Coles (Henty, Vic) (see below), Alexander Wilson (Wimmera, Vic)
• The Country Party in Victoria was split over membership of the Coalition, with the state party opposing its members taking office. The official United Country Party elected two members, one of whom, George Rankin, sat in the federal Country Party room and the other, Alexander Wilson, sat as an Independent. A breakaway faction, the Liberal Country Party, was formed to support sitting ministers and elected two members, John McEwen and Thomas Paterson, who both sat in the federal Country Party room.

Senate (P BV) — 1940–43—Turnout 94.75% (CV) — Informal 9.56%

Party			Votes	%	Swing	Seats won	Seats held	Change
	UAP–Country coalition		1,831,138	50.41	+3.70	16	19	–1
		UAP–Country joint ticket	1,649,241	45.40	+16.72	10	N/A	N/A
		United Australia	181,897	5.01	–11.12	6	15	–1
		Country	N/A	N/A	N/A	0	4	0
	Labor		1,363,072	37.52	–10.96	3	17	+1
	Non-Communist Labor		274,861	7.57	+7.57	0	0	0
	State Labor		70,091	1.93	+1.93	0	0	0
	Defence Movement		9,536	0.26	+0.26	0	0	0
	Independents		84,119	2.32	–1.07	0	0	0
	Total		3,632,817			19	36

Notes

• Of the ten senators elected on UAP–Country joint tickets, seven were UAP members and three were Country Party members.

• Members listed in italics did not contest their seat at this election.

• Candidates of the Australian federal election, 1940
• Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1940–1943
• Members of the Australian Senate, 1941–1944

• University of WA Archived 18 January 2015 at the Wayback Machine election results in Australia since 1890
• Two-party-preferred vote since 1937