Tasmanian state election, 1946

Tasmanian state election, 1946

23 November 1946

All 30 seats to the House of Assembly   First party Second party   Leader Robert Cosgrove Neil Campbell Party Labor Liberal Leader since 18 December 1939 February 1945 Leader's seat Denison Wilmot Last election 20 seats 10 seats Seats won 16 seats 12 seats Seat change 4 2 Percentage 50.97% 34.25% Swing 11.63 2.33

Premier before election Robert Cosgrove Labor Elected Premier Robert Cosgrove Labor

A general election for the House of Assembly was held in the Australian state of Tasmania on 23 November 1946.

Background

Incumbent Premier Robert Cosgrove continued to lead the Labor Party into the 1946 election. The Nationalist Party had reformed into the modern Liberal Party of Australia, and was led by Neil Campbell. This was Tasmania's first election since the end of World War II.

Results

Tasmanian state election, 23 November 1946 House of Assembly << 1941 — 1948 >>
Enrolled voters		157,756
Votes cast		143,674		Turnout	91.07%	–0.16%
Informal votes		14,484		Informal	10.08%	+5.09%
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	65,843	50.97%	–11.63%	16	– 4
	Liberal	44,158	34.25%	–2.33%	12	+ 2
	Ind. Lib.^[1]	11,339	8.78%	+8.78%	1	+ 1
	Independent	7,765	6.01%	+5.18%	1	+ 1
Total		129,190			30

¹ Several Nationalists did not join the new Liberal Party and ran as independents. Rex Townley was elected in Denison.

Distribution of Seats

Electorate Seats won Bass             Darwin             Denison             Franklin             Wilmot

Labor   Liberal   Independent

Aftermath

Labor won a majority in the election, although Robert Cosgrove's personal vote was significantly reduced. Nevertheless, he dominated the government throughout Tasmania's post-war recovery.^[1]

See also

• Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, 1946–1948
• Candidates of the Tasmanian state election, 1946

References

1. W. A. Townsley, Cosgrove, Sir Robert (1884 - 1969), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, pp 505-507.

External links

• Assembly Election Results, 1946, Parliament of Tasmania.
• Report on Parliamentary Elections, 1947, Tasmanian Electoral Commission.