Editing Family First Party (section)

===Federal elections===

====2004 federal election ====
The party agreed to share House of Representatives preferences with the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal]]&ndash;[[National Party of Australia|National]] [[Coalition (Australia)|Coalition]] at the [[2004 Australian federal election|2004 election]]<ref>{{cite press release |url = http://www.familyfirst.org.au/mr/fullpref240904.pdf|publisher = Family First Party|title = House of Representatives Preferencing  |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080414012231/http://www.familyfirst.org.au/mr/fullpref240904.pdf |date = 24 September 2004|archive-date = 14 April 2008}}</ref> (with some exceptions discussed below).

Family First picked up 1.76% of the vote nationally. [[Steve Fielding]], the lead candidate in Victoria, was successful in picking up the last Senate seat. Although he received a primary vote of only 1.88% (56,376 votes), he achieved the 14.3% quota required by a run of preferences including those from the [[Australian Labor Party]]. The typically apolitical [[psephologist]] [[Malcolm Mackerras]] stated "The outlandish result occurred in Victoria in 2004 where the Family First party was able to gather tickets from just about everywhere... this is a fluke. And I’ve always referred to Senator Steve Fielding as the Fluke Senator".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reportageonline.com/2010/08/family-first-faces-tough-election/ |title=Family First faces tough election: Reportage 19&nbsp;August 2010 |publisher=Reportageonline.com |date=2010-08-19 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref>

The party also came close to picking up other Senate seats in [[Tasmania]] (largely due to preferences from surplus Liberal votes) and in [[South Australia]] where the then party leader [[Andrea Mason (politician)|Andrea Mason]] narrowly missed out (polling 3.98% and receiving Liberal preferences).

====2007 federal election====
Family First contested the [[2007 Australian federal election|2007 federal election]], in particular seeking to increase its Senate representation. Nationwide, the party received 1.62% of the primary vote in the Senate, and 1.99% in the House of Representatives, both down slightly on the 2004 result. In Victoria, however, both the [[House of Representatives results for the Australian federal election, 2007#Victoria|lower]] and [[Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2007#Victoria|upper house vote]] increased by 0.64%, to 2.52 and 3.02% respectively. No Family First candidates were elected. Sitting senator Steve Fielding's term did not expire until 2011.

Before the 2007 federal election, [[Fred Nile]] criticized Family First for giving preferences (in some states) to the [[Liberty and Democracy Party]], a [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] political party one of whose policies was to legalize recreational drug use, stating "They gave their preferences to the enemy, the anti-Christian party."<ref>{{cite news|title=Christian party's unholy alliance|publisher=[[Herald Sun]]|url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22709097-5013904,00.html|author=Steve Lewis|date=2007-11-06}}</ref> This was suggested as a reason for their poor election result.<ref>{{cite news |title=Electorate strips landscape of the bit-part players|work=[[The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|The Daily Telegraph]] |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22819447-5001031,00.html|author=Steve Lewis|date=2007-11-26}}</ref> Fred Nile's own [[Christian Democratic Party (Australia)|Christian Democratic Party]] had also preferenced the Liberty and Democracy Party before any other major party in the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aec.gov.au/pdf/elections/2007/gvt/NSW_2007_gvt.pdf |title=NSW_2007_GVT_A4.indd |access-date=2010-06-16}}</ref>

In 2008, some newspapers claimed that Fielding wanted to "relaunch himself as a mainstream political player, beyond Family First's ultra-conservative evangelical Christian support base." The reports indicated that Fielding had tried to recruit [[Tim Costello]] and others around the beginning of 2008 with a view to forming a new party, but had failed to convince them.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[Herald Sun]]  | title =  Senator wanted to quit| first1 = Ben | last1 = Packham |first2 = Peter| last2 = Jean |department=News | page = 4  | date = 30 September 2008}}</ref> The revelations came after Fielding changed his position on abortion, after being rebuffed by his party for taking a softer approach.<ref>{{cite news | newspaper =  [[Herald Sun]]  | title =  Fielding abortion heat Retreat on women's rights comments| first = Ben | last = Packham |department=News | page = 11  | date = 27 September 2008}}</ref> Fielding denied the claims.

====2010 federal election====
At the [[2010 Australian federal election|2010 federal election]], Family First contested the Senate in all states, but were not successful, with the national vote remaining at around 2%. Fielding's term ended on 30 June 2011, after which the Family First Party no longer had federal parliamentary representation.<ref name=defeat1>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013974.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918035228/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/16/3013974.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 September 2010 |title=Senate result confirms Fielding's defeat: ABC 16&nbsp;September 2010 |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2010-09-16 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref><ref name=defeat2>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/national/family-firsts-steve-fielding-loses-senate-seat-20100916-15ebv.html |title=Family First's Steve Fielding loses Senate seat: The Age 16&nbsp;September 2010 |publisher=Theage.com.au |date=2010-09-16 |access-date=2011-02-01 |location=Melbourne |first=Megan |last=Levy}}</ref><ref name=abcproj>{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2010/guide/senate-results.htm |title=2010 Senate Results – Summary: ABC elections |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2010-07-29 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref>

The Queensland Family First Senate candidate [[Wendy Francis]] created controversy when she compared allowing same-sex marriage to the stolen generations and to "legalising child abuse".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/family-first-candidate-wendy-francis-stands-by-gay--slur-on-twitter-20100809-11s5c.html?autostart=1 |title=Family First candidate Wendy Francis stands by gay slur on Twitter |publisher=The Age |date=2010-08-09 |access-date=2010-08-09 | first=Ben | last=Grubb}}</ref>

====2013 federal election====
{{see also|Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2013#South Australia}}
[[Bob Day]] ran as a Family First Party South Australia Senate candidate at the [[2013 Australian federal election|2013 federal election]] and was successful. The South Australian Senate Family First vote was 3.8% (down 0.3%),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-17496-SA.htm|title=Senate State First Preferences By Group |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref> getting to the 14.3% quota through [[Glenn Druery]]'s [[Minor Party Alliance]] from 19 [[group voting ticket]] party preferences: [[Australian Independents|Australian Independents Party]], [[Australian Stable Population Party]], [[Liberal Democratic Party (Australia)|Liberal Democratic Party]], [[Smokers' Rights Party]], [[No Carbon Tax Climate Sceptics]], [[Building Australia Party]], [[Rise Up Australia Party]], [[Katter's Australian Party]], [[One Nation (Australia)|One Nation]], [[Australian Fishing and Lifestyle Party]], [[Australian Christians (political party)|Australian Christians]], [[Shooters and Fishers]], [[Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party]], [[Democratic Labour Party (Australia, 1980)|Democratic Labour Party]], [[Animal Justice Party]], [[Australian Greens]], [[Palmer United Party]], [[HEMP Party]], [[Australian Labor Party]].<ref name="smh.com.au">{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/micromanager-behind-independents-20130909-2tgc7.html|title=Micro-manager behind independents|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2013/results/senate/sa/|title=Senate Results: South Australia - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2013 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=7 July 2016}}</ref> The nationwide Family First Senate vote was 1.1% (down 1.0%).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/17496/Website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-17496-NAT.htm|title=Senate State First Preferences By Group |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission}}</ref> Day assumed his seat on 1 July 2014.

====2016 federal election====
{{see also|Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2016#South Australia}}
As Family First's sole incumbent, [[Bob Day]] was unexpectedly<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/family-first-senator-bob-day-reelected-in-south-australia-labor-misses-out-20160802-gqj12u.html|title=Family First Senator Bob Day re-elected in South Australia, Labor misses out|first=Michael|last=Koziol|date=2 August 2016}}</ref> successful at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 federal election]], despite having unsuccessfully mounted a [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] challenge against [[Australian Senate#Voting|newly implemented Senate voting reforms]] which included the removal of [[group voting ticket]]s, a feature which was crucial to the election of Day at the previous election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-13/senate-voting-reform-challenge-thrown-out-by-high-court/7410986|title=Senate voting reform challenge thrown out by High Court|website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=13 May 2016}}</ref> Though the South Australian Senate Family First vote was reduced to just 2.9% (down 0.9%),<ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-SA.htm SA Senate 2016 election: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812141304/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-SA.htm |date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> as the election was a [[double dissolution]], the quota to be elected was halved. Day got to the 7.7% quota largely from Liberal preferences when the Liberal's 5th candidate [[Sean Edwards (politician)|Sean Edwards]] was eliminated from the count, largely due to the fact the Liberal [[how-to-vote card]] recommended Liberal voters to preference Family First.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/federal-election-2016/guide/ssa/htv/|title=Senate How to Votes: South Australia - Australia Votes - Federal Election 2016 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref> Electing only six Senators per state at a non-double dissolution election, the 12th and last spot in South Australia at this election came down to a race between Day and Labor's 4th candidate [[Anne McEwen (politician)|Anne McEwen]]. McEwen solidly led Day for the overwhelming majority of the count, until count 445 of a total 457. However, upon Edwards and then [[Pauline Hanson's One Nation|One Nation]] candidate Steven Burgess being eliminated at count 445 and 455 respectively, leaving only McEwen and Day remaining, Day had collected enough preferences to overtake and narrowly defeat McEwen − by just a couple of thousand preference votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.abc.net.au/antonygreen/2016/08/south-australia-senate-2016-distribution-of-preferences.html|title=South Australia Senate 2016 - Distribution of Preferences}}</ref><ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/External/SenateStateDop-20499-SA.pdf SA Senate 2016 election preference distribution: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160805051205/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/External/SenateStateDop-20499-SA.pdf |date=5 August 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2016/08/01/late-count-herbert-finalised-senate-results-imminent/|title=Late count: Herbert finalised, Senate results imminent - The Poll Bludger|date=1 August 2016|access-date=3 August 2016|archive-date=1 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801162608/https://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2016/08/01/late-count-herbert-finalised-senate-results-imminent/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

The nationwide Family First Senate vote was 1.4% (up 0.3%).<ref>[http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-NAT.htm Senate 2016 election: AEC] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160812105302/http://vtr.aec.gov.au/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-20499-NAT.htm |date=12 August 2016 }}</ref> Elected to the [[Senate results for the Australian federal election, 2016#South Australia|12th and final South Australian Senate spot]], he was entitled to a three-year term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/coalition-and-labor-team-up-to-clear-out-crossbench-senators-in-2019-20160812-gqr29k.html|title=Coalition and Labor team up to clear out crossbench senators in 2019|first=Fergus|last=Hunter|date=12 August 2016}}</ref> 

Due to the failure of his home construction business, Day resigned from the Senate on 1 November 2016 and a replacement was expected to be selected in the following two to three weeks{{update after|2016|11}}.<ref name="Day resigned"/> In April 2017, the High Court found that he had been invalidly elected to the Senate at the 2016 election because the leasing arrangements for his electoral office had breached section 44 of the [[Constitution of Australia|Constitution]] making him ineligible for the Senate, leading to a special recount of South Australian senate ballots to find a replacement.<ref name="DayIneligibleRuling">{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-05/family-first-bob-day-election-ruled-invalid-by-high-court/8417204 |title=Family First ex-senator Bob Day's election ruled invalid by High Court |date=5 April 2017 |work=ABC News |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref>

On 13 April 2017 [[Lucy Gichuhi]] was declared the new South Australian senator in place of Day, following a recount of ballots.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Her appointment was challenged by the [[Australian Labor Party]] but the [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] rejected the challenge as to whether she has renounced her Kenyan citizenship or retained a dual Kenyan and Australian citizenship.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-19/labor-party-to-challenge-eligiblity-of-sa-senator-elect/8452514 |date=19 April 2017 |title=Family First senator Lucy Gichuhi survives ALP challenge over citizenship concerns |first=Matthew |last1=Doran |first2=Henry |last2=Belot |first3=Joanna |last3=Crothers |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> She became Australia's first African Senator.

====Federal by-elections since 2004====
Following the resignation of [[Mark Latham]] and their acquisition of a Senate seat in 2004, Family First contested the [[2005 Werriwa by-election]] and in the absence of a Liberal candidate received 2,890 first preference votes. They had not contested Werriwa in 2004.

As a result of their relatively poor form in the 2007 election, Family First did not contest the [[2008 Gippsland by-election]], but in [[2008 Mayo by-election|a later by-election for the seat of Mayo]] they won 11.40% of the vote but only ran fourth in the absence of a Labor candidate, a total that was only 4% above their vote in the 2007 general election.

Family First did not stand a candidate in any of the [[2008 Lyne by-election|2008 Lyne]], [[2009 Bradfield by-election|2009 Bradfield]] or [[2009 Higgins by-election|2009 Higgins]] by-elections.