The Legislative Council was elected on 16 March and the House of Assembly between 9 August and 5 September.

These were the first elections contested on a more-or-less two-party basis after the emergence of responsible government in 1872.

Incumbent Prime Minister Gordon Sprigg had become aligned with the nascent Progressive party, and was succeeded by William Philip Schreiner, an Independent supported by the Afrikaner Bond, upon the inauguration of the new House of Assembly.

[1] Since the last election British Bechuanaland had joined the Cape Colony, gaining three seats in the Assembly and one in the Council.

Alan John Charrington Smith's analysis of voting patterns estimated that support was approximately 43,243 voters (57.35%) for the Progressive party and 32,165 (42.65%) for its opponents.