Tasmanian state election, 1913

Tasmanian state election, 1913

23 January 1913

All 30 seats to the House of Assembly   First party Second party   Leader Albert Solomon John Earle Party Commonwealth Liberal Labor Leader since 14 June 1912 1906 Leader's seat Bass Franklin Last election 16 seats 14 seats Seats won 16 seats 14 seats Seat change 0 0 Percentage 52.58% 46.00% Swing 1.90 0.48

Premier before election Albert Solomon Commonwealth Liberal Elected Premier Albert Solomon Commonwealth Liberal

A general election for the House of Assembly was held in the Australian state of Tasmania on 23 January 1913 (a Thursday, as the convention of holding elections on a Saturday did not become common until the 1920s).

Background

The 1913 election was called less than a year after the previous election in 1912, triggered by an early dissolution of parliament. The Liberals held only a small majority in the House of Assembly, and Premier Albert Solomon was dependent on the support of Norman Cameron to maintain that majority. In addition, Solomon was under threat from the same Liberal unrest that had unseated his predecessor, Sir Elliott Lewis. Labor sought to capitalise on Solomon's tenuous grasp on government, and moved a series of no-confidence motions against him, including a censure motion over the Mount Lyell disaster. In an attempt to secure his position, Solomon requested an early dissolution from the Governor of Tasmania, and an early election was called.^[1]

Results

Tasmanian state election, 23 January 1913 House of Assembly << 1912 — 1916 >>
Enrolled voters		105,292
Votes cast		70,802		Turnout	67.24%	–6.23%
Informal votes		2,035		Informal	2.87%	+0.02%
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Liberal	36,157	52.58%	–1.90%	16	+ 1
	Labor	31,633	46.00%	+0.48%	14	± 0
	Independent	977	1.42%	+1.42%	0	– 1
Total		68,767			30

Distribution of Seats

Electorate Seats won Bass             Darwin             Denison             Franklin             Wilmot

Labor   Liberal

Aftermath

Solomon achieved what he had hoped by calling an early election: Norman Cameron lost his seat which was picked up by the Liberals, giving them a more favourable two-seat majority in the house. This advantage, however, was short-lived. The Liberals lost a seat in a by-election, and the erratic behaviour of MHA Joshua Whitsitt was coming under question. Solomon lost a no-confidence motion in April 1914, and the Governor denied his request for another dissolution, calling upon John Earle to form a Labor government.^[1]

See also

• Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1913–1916
• Candidates of the Tasmanian state election, 1913

References

1. Scott Bennett, Solomon, Albert Edgar (1876 - 1914), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, p. 11.

External links

• Assembly Election Results, 1913, Parliament of Tasmania.
• Report on General Election, 1913, Tasmanian Electoral Commission, 8 July 1913.