The 1901 New South Wales state election was for 125 electoral districts, with each district returning one member. The election was conducted on the basis of a simple majority or first-past-the-post voting system. In this election, in 32 electorates the winning candidate received less than 50% of the votes, while 13 were uncontested. The average number of enrolled voters per electorate was 2,764, ranging from Wentworth (1,706) to Willoughby (4,854).
Of the 125 members of the house prior to the election, 18 had been elected to the new federal parliament, while 7 did not contest the election, and a further 17 were defeated at the election. 81 members (65%) retained a seat after the election.
The sitting member was Josiah Thomas (Labour) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Barrier which included Broken Hill. William Williams nominated as an Independent Labor candidate after friction between local branches and the Barrier District Assembly.
Bernhard Wise (Protectionist) had won the seat at the 1898 election, however he was appointed to the Legislative Council and Frederick Winchcombe (Liberal Reform) won the seat at the November 1900 by-election.
The sitting member was Bill Wilks (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Dalley which included Balmain.
Kenneth Mackay (Progressive) had been elected in 1898, however, he was appointed to the Legislative Council and Niels Nielsen (Labour) won the seat at the by-election.
Varney Parkes (Free Trade) had won the seat at the 1898 election, however he resigned and Thomas Taylor (Independent) won the seat at the July 1900 by-election.
The election was overturned by the Elections and Qualifications Committee due to irregularities in the poll and Patrick Clara retained the seat for Labour at the subsequent by-election.
The sitting member was John Chanter (Progressive) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Riverina which included Deniliquin.
The sitting member Thomas Goodwin (Progressive) did not contest the election.
The sitting member was Joseph Cook (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Parramatta.
The sitting member was Francis Clarke (Progressive) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Cowper.
Sir William Lyne (Progressive) resigned prior to the federal election in March 1901 at which he successfully contested the seat of Hume. Having resigned earlier than other candidates, a by-election was held in April 1901 in which Gordon McLaurin retained the seat for the Progressive Party.
The sitting member was George Cruickshank (Progressive) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Gwydir.
The sitting member was Thomas Ewing (Progressive) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Richmond.
The sitting member was Francis McLean (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Lang which included Marrickville.
The sitting member was Thomas Hassall (Progressive) who did not contest the election.
The sitting member was Hugh Ross (Labour) who unsuccessfully contested Quirindi.
The sitting member was James Thomson (Labour) who did not contest the election.
The sitting member was Francis Cotton (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election.
Richard Stevenson (Protectionist) died in 1899 and John Norton (Independent) won the seat in a by-election.
The sitting member was John Neild (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 as a Senator for NSW.
The sitting member John McLaughlin (Independent) did not contest the election.
William Ferguson had been elected in 1898 as a Labour representative, however he was denied endorsement due to his independent behaviour in the Assembly.
The sitting member Sir Matthew Harris (Liberal Reform) did not contest the election.
At the 1898 election Henry Chapman was elected as a Liberal Reform representative, while Daniel Levy had stood as an independent.
The sitting member was George Reid (Liberal Reform) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of East Sydney.
The sitting member was Billy Hughes (Labour) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of West Sydney.
The sitting member was William Sawers (Progressive) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of New England.
The sitting member was Dugald Thomson (Progressive), who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 as a Free Trade member for the federal seat of North Sydney.
The sitting member was Sir Joseph Abbott () who did not contest the election.
The sitting member was Chris Watson (Labour) who did not contest the election as he had been elected in March 1901 to the federal seat of Bland.