In May 1917 the Nationalists won a huge electoral victory. At this election Hughes abandoned his working-class seat of West Sydney, and was elected for Bendigo in Victoria. Hughes had promised to resign if his Government did not win the power to conscript. A second vote was held in December 1917, but was again defeated, this time by even more votes. Hughes resigned as Prime Minister but, as he was the leader of the majority party, the Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, immediately asked him to be Prime Minister again. Hughes was able to remain as Prime Minister while keeping his promise to resign.