Tasmanian state election, 1959

Tasmanian state election, 1959

2 May 1959

All 35 seats to the House of Assembly   First party Second party   Leader Eric Reece Tim Jackson Party Labor Liberal Leader since 26 August 1958 26 June 1956 Leader's seat Braddon Franklin Last election 15 seats 15 seats Seats won 17 seats 16 seats Seat change 2 1 Percentage 44.5% 41.05% Swing 5.77 2.54

Premier before election Eric Reece Labor Resulting Premier Eric Reece Labor

A general election for the House of Assembly was held in the Australian state of Tasmania on 2 May 1959.

The two previous elections had resulted in a parliamentary deadlock due to an even number of seats (30) in the House of Assembly. Prior to the 1959 election, the number of seats was increased to 35.^[1]

Robert Cosgrove had retired as Premier of Tasmania, and had been replaced by Eric Reece on 26 August 1958.

Results

The Australian Labor Party won the most seats in the newly expanded House of Assembly, but not enough to govern in a majority as two seats were won by Independents. The 1959 election was the last occasion in which an ungrouped independent (Bill Wedd) won a seat in Tasmania.^[2]

Former Labor Treasurer Dr Reg Turnbull won two quotas in his own right as an independent in Bass, representing 5.64% of the statewide result.

Tasmanian state election, 2 May 1959 House of Assembly << 1956 — 1964 >>
Enrolled voters		180,344
Votes cast		170,559		Turnout	94.57	–0.65
Informal votes		9,816		Informal	5.76	+1.57
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	71,535	44.50	–5.77	17	+ 2
	Liberal	66,005	41.05	–2.54	16	+ 1
	Democratic Labor	8,510	5.29	+1.82	0	± 0
	Independent	14,549	9.05	+6.45	2	+ 2
	Communist	144	0.09	+0.03	0	± 0
Total		160,743			35

Distribution of Seats

Electorate Seats won Bass               Braddon               Denison               Franklin               Wilmot

Labor   Liberal   Independent

See also

• Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1959–1964
• Candidates of the Tasmanian state election, 1959

References

1. Curtin, Jennifer: The 1998 Tasmanian Election: Women and Proportional Representation, Parliament of Australia, 10 November 1998.
2. Green, Antony: Independents to be disadvantaged by ACT electoral changes, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 28 May 2008.

External links

• Assembly Election Results, 1959, Parliament of Tasmania.
• Report on Parliamentary Elections, 1959, Tasmanian Electoral Commission.