The Southern Rhodesia general election of April 14, 1939 was the fifth election since the colony of Southern Rhodesia

Southern Rhodesia

Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...

 was granted self-government. Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Rhodesia

The Prime Minister of Rhodesia was the head of government in the colony of Rhodesia. Rhodesia's political system was modelled on the Westminster system and the Prime Minister's role was similar to that of the same position in other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New...

 Godfrey Huggins' United Party government were re-elected in a landslide. The election was called slightly earlier than the deadline as Huggins feared the German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 invasion of Czechoslovakia

German occupation of Czechoslovakia

German occupation of Czechoslovakia began with the Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland, under terms outlined by the Munich Agreement. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's pretext for this effort was the alleged privations suffered by...

 would lead to European War.

Franchise and Electoral procedure

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.

Electoral districts

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.

Summary result

Electorate: 28,894 (in contested seats, 28,032)
Turnout: 76.7%

Party	Seats in 1934 Southern Rhodesia general election, 1934 The Southern Rhodesia general election of November 7, 1934 was the fourth election since the colony of Southern Rhodesia was granted self-government. The election was called only a year after the previous election when the Prime Minister, Godfrey Huggins, formed the United Party as a merger of the...	Candidates	Elected	Unopposed	Popular vote
Votes	%
United Party United Federal Party The United Federal Party, previously known as the United Party and the United Rhodesia Party, was one of Southern Rhodesia's most successful political parties, and governed the country for over 30 years...	24	29	23	1	11,161	50.4
Rhodesia Labour Party Rhodesia Labour Party The Rhodesia Labour Party was a political party which existed in Southern Rhodesia from 1923 until the 1950s. Originally formed on the model of the British Labour Party from trade unions and being especially dominated by railway workers, it formed the main opposition party from 1934 to 1946...	5	26	7	-	7,353	33.2
Rhodesia Party	1	16	-	-	2,773	12.5
Independents Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	-	3	-	-	492	2.2
Union Party	-	2	-	-	380	1.7
Totals	30	76	30	1	22,159	100%

Results

• Ind - Independent
  Independent (politician)
  In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
  
  
• Lab - Rhodesia Labour Party
  Rhodesia Labour Party
  The Rhodesia Labour Party was a political party which existed in Southern Rhodesia from 1923 until the 1950s. Originally formed on the model of the British Labour Party from trade unions and being especially dominated by railway workers, it formed the main opposition party from 1934 to 1946...
  
  
• RP - Rhodesia Party
• Union - Union Party
• UP - United Party
  United Federal Party
  The United Federal Party, previously known as the United Party and the United Rhodesia Party, was one of Southern Rhodesia's most successful political parties, and governed the country for over 30 years...
  
  

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes
AVONDALE 962 (82.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Harry Bertin	UP	571
	Colin Ross McLachlan	Lab	217
BULAWAYO CENTRAL 1,116 (82.1%)	William Hives Eastwood	UP	393
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... James Cowden	RP	272
	Philip Harvey Veale	Lab	251
BULAWAYO EAST 1,025 (84.5%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... John Banks Brady	UP	639
	Donald MacGillivray	RP	227
BULAWAYO NORTH 1,023 (84.9%)	Thomas Hugh William Beadle	UP	461
	Charles Edward Harrison	RP	243
	William John Phelps	Lab	165
BULAWAYO SOUTH 1,279 (77.8%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Donald Macintyre	Lab	534
	Robert Woodward Hammond	UP	461
CHARTER 838 (82.3%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Ernest Lucas Guest Ernest Lucas Guest Sir Ernest Lucas Guest KBE, CMG, CVO, LLD was a Rhodesian statesman, lawyer and soldier. His grandfather moved from Kidderminster, England to South Africa, where he was born in Grahamstown. At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, although he was underage, he enlisted and saw active service...	UP	355
	Johan Christoffel Kruger	Union	181
	Henry Stephen Sharp	Lab	154
EASTERN 1,004 (77.7%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Jacobus Petrus De Kock	UP	399
	Douglas Abrahamson	Union	199
	Reginald Herbert Bruce Dickson	Lab	182
GATOOMA 1,031 (85.5%)	Thomas Alfred Kimble	Lab	416
	James Dalton	UP	293
	Thomas James Golding	RP	173
GWANDA 839 (71.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Frank Ernest Harris	UP	381
	David Wood Young	RP	216
GWELO 954 (78.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Frank Delano Thompson	UP	326
	Robert Williamson	RP	243
	William John Bassett	Lab	184
HARTLEY 969 (82.1%)	Hugh Volant Wheeler	UP	264
	William Muter Leggate	RP	215
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Henry Hamilton Beamish Henry Hamilton Beamish Henry Hamilton Beamish was a leading British antisemite and the founder of The Britons.The son of an admiral who had served as an A.D.C...	Ind	196
	John Allen	Lab	121
HIGHLANDS 953 (82.1%)	Leslie Benjamin Fereday	UP	447
	William Frith Wilson	Lab	267
	John Arthur Douglas Hawksley	RP	68
HILLSIDE 1,017 (85.8%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Harry Herbert Davies	Lab	544
	George Victor Wallace	UP	329
INSIZA 887 (73.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Robert Clarkson Tredgold Robert Clarkson Tredgold Sir Robert Clarkson Tredgold was a British barrister and judge who held a number of political posts in Rhodesia....	UP	335
	James Turner Durward	Lab	198
	Leo George Robinson	RP	116
LOMAGUNDI 834 (64.1%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings	UP	393
	Mrs. Otilia Liebermann	Lab	142
MARANDELLAS 891 (74.2%)	William Henry Ralston	UP	366
	Alexander Aitken Draper	Lab	148
	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Alfred William Vincent Crawley	RP	147
MAZOE 873 (78.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Edward Walter Lionel Noaks	UP	402
	Jack Herbert Keightley	Lab	139
	James Murdoch Eaton	RP	75
	Mark Douglas Claxton	Ind	73
QUE QUE 1,072 (79.9%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Charles Walter Leppington	UP	434
	de Lacey Henry Stowe	Lab	422
RAYLTON 954 (80.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Lawrence John Walter Keller	Lab	559
	Charles Spencer	UP	210
SALISBURY CENTRAL 1,089 (76.4%)	Edgar Pope Vernall	UP	408
	Mrs. Gladys Maasdorp	Lab	288
	George Harry Stone	RP	136
SALISBURY CITY 1,012 (78.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Jacob Hendrik Smit	UP	519
	Alec Pelham	Lab	276
SALISBURY GARDENS 966 (76.4%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Sir Percival Donald Leslie Fynn	UP	410
	Lancelot Middleton Foggin	RP	155
	Rex Atherton Rawstorne	Lab	111
SALISBURY NORTH 862	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Godfrey Martin Huggins	UP	unopposed
SALISBURY SOUTH 1,049 (79.0%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... George Henry Walker	Lab	546
	Heiman Joseph Hoffman	UP	283
SELUKWE 954 (76.6%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... Max Danziger	UP	410
	Ernest Millington	RP	321
UMTALI NORTH 844 (83.8%)	Edgar Cuthbert Fremantle Whitehead Edgar Whitehead Sir Edgar Cuthbert Fremantle Whitehead, OBE, was a Rhodesian politician. He was a longstanding member of the Southern Rhodesia Legislative Assembly, although his career was interrupted by other posts and by illness. In particular he had poor eyesight, and wore very thick glasses, and later...	UP	498
	Thomas Norris	Lab	209
UMTALI SOUTH 820 (76.1%)	James Brown Lister	Lab	401
	Matthew Henry Gibson	Ind	223
VICTORIA 1,014 (77.2%)	† Incumbent The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W... William Alexander Eustace Winterton	UP	497
	Robert Joseph Austin	Lab	286
WANKIE 1,000 (73.0%)	Allan Watson Whittington	Lab	346
	Cyril Mainwaring Newman	UP	311
	Henry Robert Barbour	RP	73
WESTERN 894 (79.0%)	Patrick Bissett Fletcher	UP	366
	Albert James Davies	Lab	247
	Wilfred Denton Estment	RP	93

Salisbury Gardens

Sir Percival Fynn died on April 25, 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 June 26, 1940.

Umtali North

Edgar Whitehead resigned from the Assembly on June 24, 1940. A byelection was held to replace him on August 27, 1940.

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

Hartley

Hugh Volant Wheeler resigned on June 30, 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on August 27, 1940.

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes
HARTLEY 943 (49.9%)	William Muter Leggate	RP	247
	Tom Cecil Leonard Howard	Ind	120
	Leonard Tolcher Tracey	Ind	104

Lomagundi

Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings resigned on June 30, 1940. A byelection was held in his constituency on August 27, 1940.

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes
LOMAGUNDI 827 (48.1%)	George Henry Hackwill	UP	220
	Edward George Holman	Ind	178

Victoria

William Alexander Eustace Winterton resigned on October 30, 1940. A byelection was held on December 10, 1940.

Constituency Electorate and turnout	Candidate	Party	Votes
VICTORIA 1,014 (61.4%)	Walter Brumage Richards	UP	232
	Harry Joseph Filmer	Lab	228
	Richard Fraser Dott	Ind National	163

Insiza

Robert Clarkson Tredgold resigned on February 28, 1943. A byelection was held on April 21, 1943 to replace him.

Constituency	Candidate	Party	Votes
INSIZA	Leslie Thomas Smith	The Labour Party	280
	Victor Henry Sauerman	Lab	197
	John Everett Chick	UP	151