1856 Victorian colonial election

1856 Victorian colonial election

23 September to 24 October 1856 1859 →
All 60 seats in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
First party Second party   Leader William Haines John O'Shanassy Party Conservative Conservative Leader's seat South Grant Kilmore Seats won 11 25 Percentage 11.99 35.13
Premier before election William Haines Conservative) Elected Premier William Haines Conservative

The 1856 Victorian colonial election was held from 23 September to 24 October 1856 to elect the first Parliament of Victoria. All 60 seats in 37 electorates in the Legislative Assembly were up for election, though eight seats were uncontested.^[1] The eligibility to vote at the 1856 Victorian election was subject to a property qualification. The voting was carried out by secret ballot.^[2][3]

There were 20 single-member, 14 two-member and one each of three-member, four-member and five-member electorates.^[1]

The historian Henry Gyles Turner, writing in 1904, described the election in the following terms: "The voting was largely controlled by personal feeling and private influences, for there was no stirring party cry in the ascendant, and the quieting effect of the voting by secret ballot made strongly for orderliness in the proceedings".^[4] William Haines formed the first ministry after the election, a continuation of his previous role in the Legislative Council, even though his government was potentially in the minority in the lower house.^[5]