Nominations: Saturday, 11 December 1869, Polling: Monday, 13 December 1869 (No poll held)
Candidate
Votes
Votes %
Allen, George Wigram (Elected)
Elected unopposed
Notes: Sitting MP T W Smart did not re-contest. At the nominations, Sydney Smith and JH Neale attempted to nominate William Robert Campbell, who had been defeated in West Sydney two days earlier. Campbell was not present, and the SMH report suggests about 10 hands went up for him. However, without Campbell present, six people were required to call for a poll, and the Returning Officer declared this condition had not been met in a reasonable time and so signed the writ declaring Allen elected. The SMH 16 December backed the Returning Officer and was critical of the electoral act which allowed candidates to be nominated without their consent. Note that in the following weeks, there was a running court case associated with election rioting in Balmain. See SMH 21 December p.3 col.2-3, 22nd p.5 col.4-5, 23rd p.5 col.1-2 and 24th p.5 col.4.
Source: SMH, 13 December 1869, p.7, col.4 records Allen's unopposed election and the complaints that followed.