1860 Queensland colonial election

1860 Queensland colonial election

27 April 1860 – 11 May 1860 1863 →
All 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland 14 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Robert Herbert Charles Lilley Party Squatter Conservative Liberal Association Leader's seat Leichhardt Fortitude Valley Seats won 8[1][2] 4[1][2]
Results of the election, showing winners in each seat. Seats without member charts indicate the electorate returned one member.
Premier before election Robert Herbert Squatter Conservative Elected Premier Robert Herbert Squatter Conservative

Elections were held in the colony of Queensland between 27 April 1860 to 11 May 1860 to elect all 26 members of the colony's Legislative Assembly. It was conducted in nine single-member constituencies, four two-member constituencies, and three three-member constituencies, all with a first past the post system.^[3] Suffrage was limited to men who owned property. The electorates were also malapportioned to favour pastoral districts.^[3] This was the first election after the separation of Queensland in December 1859.

There was no recognisable party structure at this election; instead the government was determined by a loose, shifting factional system. Members of the ministry generally identified as "Squatter Conservatives," and the opposition was liberal in nature, and loosely led by the Liberal Association. Premier Robert Herbert was conservative and consistently supported by a majority of the Legislative Assembly, many of whom were graziers.^[3]