[1] There were two significant changes from the 1901 election, the first was that women were given the right to vote, which saw an increase in the number of enrolled voters from 345,500 in 1901,[2] to 689,490 in 1904.
[1] The second was that as a result of the 1903 New South Wales referendum, the number of members of the Legislative Assembly was reduced from 125 to 90.
[3] The combined effect of the changes meant that the average number of enrolled voters per electorate went from 2,764,[a] to 7,661,[b] an increase of 277%.
Joseph Reymond had held the seat since the 1898 election as a member of the Progressive Party, however was standing as an independent.
The member for Molong was Andrew Ross (Independent Liberal) who unsuccessfully contested Orange.
The members for Sydney-Cook, Samuel Whiddon (Liberal reform), and Sydney-Phillip, Daniel O'Connor (Progressive), did not contest the election.
The member for Orange was Harry Newman (Liberal Reform) who died two months prior to the election.
The member for Molong was Andrew Ross (Independent Liberal) who unsuccessfully contested Orange.
The member for the abolished seat of Uralla-Walcha was Michael MacMahon (Progressive) who unsuccessfully contested Armidale.
The member for Botany was John Dacey who, lost Labour pre-selection and successfully contested Alexandria instead.
The member for Dubbo was Simeon Phillips (Liberal Reform) who stayed with the majority of the seat and unsuccessfully contested The Macquarie.
[32] The question of the Progressive candidate was resolved when Sir John See decided to retire due to ill health and accepted an appointment to the Legislative Council.
The member for The Shoalhaven was Mark Morton (Liberal Reform) who successfully contested Allowrie.
The member for Wilcannia was Richard Sleath (Independent Labour) who also unsuccessfully contested The Darling.
The member for Sydney-King was Ernest Broughton (Progressive) who successfully contested King as a Liberal Reform candidate.
The sitting member for Deniliquin was Joseph Evans (Independent Progressive) who died three weeks prior to the election.
The member for The Murray was James Hayes (Progressive) who was appointed to the Legislative Council and did not contest the election.
The member for Canterbury was Thomas Mackenzie (Liberal Reform) who successfully contested that seat.
Kahibah was expanded to include part of Waratah and the abolished seat of Newcastle West.
The member for the Lachlan was James Carroll (Progressive) who stood as Independent Liberal Reform candidate.
[61] John Hawthorne had been the Liberal Reform member for Leichhardt for 10 years, however stood as an Independent Liberal Reform Candidate, having been denied pre-selection in favour of Robert Booth, who had the support of the United Protestant Defence Association due to Hawthorne voting to grant money to various charities which included a Catholic orphanage.
The member for The Murray was James Hayes (Progressive) who was appointed to the Legislative Council and did not contest the election.
The member for Newcastle West was Owen Gilbert (Liberal Reform) who unsuccessfully contested Wickham.
The member for Newtown-Camperdown was James Smith (Independent Progressive) who successfully contested Camperdown.
The member for Orange was Harry Newman (Liberal Reform) who died two months prior to the election.
The member for Waverley was Thomas Jessep (Liberal Reform) who successfully contested that seat.
Rozelle was a new seat that consisted of parts of the abolished set of Balmain South and Annandale.
Arthur Griffith (Labour) had previously been the member for Waratah however he resigned to unsuccessfully contest the 1903 federal election.
Raymond Walsh (Independent) had won the 1901 election for Tamworth, however he was made bankrupt in 1903 and was defeated in the subsequent by-election, by John Garland (Liberal Reform).
The member for West Macquarie was Paddy Crick (Progressive) who successfully contested Blayney.