1946 Tasmanian state election

The 1946 Tasmanian state election was held on 23 November 1946 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 30 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system[1] — six members were elected from each of five electorates.

1946 Tasmanian state election

← 194123 November 19461948 →

All 30 seats to the House of Assembly
 First partySecond party
 
LeaderRobert CosgroveNeil Campbell
PartyLaborLiberal
Leader since18 December 1939February 1945
Leader's seatDenisonWilmot
Last election20 seats10 seats
Seats won16 seats12 seats
Seat changeDecrease4Increase2
Percentage50.97%34.25%
SwingDecrease11.63Decrease2.33

Results of the election

Premier before election

Robert Cosgrove
Labor

Elected Premier

Robert Cosgrove
Labor

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

Labor won a majority in the election, although the party's vote was significantly reduced. Cosgrove dominated the government throughout Tasmania's post-war recovery.[2]

Results

PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Labor65,84351.00 11.6316 4
Liberal44,15834.20 2.3312 2
Ind. Lib.[a]11,3398.78 8.781 1
Independents7,7656.01 5.181 1
Total129,105100.0030
Valid votes129,10589.91
Invalid/blank votes14,48410.09 5.09
Total votes143,589100.00
Registered voters/turnout157,75691.02 0.16
Popular vote
Labor
50.97%
Liberal
34.25%
Independents
14.79%
Seats
Labor
53.33%
Liberal
40.00%
Independents
6.67%
a Several Nationalists did not join the new Liberal Party and ran as independents. Rex Townley was elected in Denison.

Distribution of votes

Primary vote by division

BassDarwinDenisonFranklinWilmot
Labor Party57.9%49.5%45.3%51.5%51.2%
Liberal Party31.9%47.7%19.4%35.2%36.3%
Other10.3%2.9%35.4%13.3%12.5%

Distribution of seats

 Labor
 Liberal
 Independent

See also

References