Austrian Constitutional Assembly election, 1919

Austrian Constitutional Assembly election, 1919

16 February 1919

All 170 seats in the Constitutional Assembly 86 seats needed for a majority Turnout 2,998,297 (84.4%)   First party Second party Third party   Leader Karl Seitz Party SDAPÖ CS DNP Seats won 72 69 8 Popular vote 1,211,814 1,068,382 173,881 Percentage 40.8% 35.9% 5.8%

Chancellor before election Karl Renner SDAPÖ Elected Chancellor Karl Renner SDAPÖ

Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Austria on 16 February 1919.^[1] The result was a victory for the Social Democratic Workers' Party, which won 72 of the 170 seats. The party was largely supported by the working class, whilst farmers and the middle class voted mainly for the anti-Anschluss Christian Social Party.^[2] Voter turnout was 84.4%. It is generally reckoned as the first free election ever held in Austria.

German citizens living in Austria and Sudeten Germans living in the then newly formed Czechoslovakia were allowed to vote in these elections, despite Czechoslovak objections (and Austrian citizens living in Germany were also allowed to vote for the Weimar National Assembly in the same year).^[3]

The two main parties formed a coalition after the elections, and although it had broken up by mid-1920, a new constitution was agreed on 1 October 1920.^[2] Fresh elections were held on 17 October.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Social Democratic Workers' Party	1,211,814	40.8	72
Christian Social Party	1,068,382	35.9	69
German Nationals Party	173,881	5.8	8
Czechoslovakians	67,514	2.3	1
German Democrats	64,078	2.2	3
German People's Party	59,918	2.0	2
German Freedom and Order Party	56,365	1.9	5
Centrist Democrats	48,847	1.6	1
Styrian Farmers' Party	47,078	1.6	3
National Democratic Party	46,577	1.6	0
Carinthian Farmers' Association	33,412	1.1	2
National Socialist Workers' Party	23,334	0.8	0
German Peoples' Election Committee	15,679	0.5	1
Democrats	15,133	0.5	0
Democratic Association of Cities	12,336	0.4	1
Liberal Corporate Association of Salzburg	8,507	0.3	1
Jewish National Party	7,760	0.3	1
Democratic Middle Class Party	5,967	0.2	0
Democratic Economy Party	3,909	0.1	0
Democratic Austrian People's Party	1,688	0.1	0
Trepipartei	864	0.0	0
Economic Political Workers's Party	411	0.0	0
Invalid/blank votes	24,843	–	–
Total	2,998,297	100	170
Registered voters/turnout	3,554,242	84.4	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Popular Vote
SDAP			40.75%
CS			35.93%
DNP			5.85%
VTP			2.27%
DD			2.16%
DVP			2.02%
OFP			1.90%
DWF			1.64%
Other			7.48%

References

1. Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (31 May 2010). Elections in Europe: A data handbook. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 196. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p173
3. AUSTRIA VOTES TODAY. - German Part of Former Dual Monarchy Chooses Its Constituent Assembly., The New York Times, February 16, 1919 (PDF)