1939 Hawthorn state by-election
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Electoral district of Hawthorn in the Victorian Legislative Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registered | 25,459[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 89.1% ( 3.0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1939 Hawthorn state by-election was held on 10 June 1939 to elect the member for Hawthorn in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, following the death of United Australia Party (UAP) MP John Gray.[2][3]
Despite a 34% swing away from the UAP (two Independent UAP candidates were also contesting), Les Tyack won the seat for the UAP against Labor candidate Albert Nicholls with 54.1% of the two-party-preferred vote.[4][5]
Tyack lost the seat one year later at the 1940 state election, when he was defeated by Leslie Hollins (who unsuccessfully contested the by-election as an independent).[6][7] Tyack again won Hawthorn in 1950, but lost his seat in 1952.[8][9]
Key events
- 6 May 1939 – John Gray dies[10]
- 17 May 1939 – Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly[11]
- 29 May 1939 – Candidate nominations close[12]
- 10 June 1939 – Polling day
- 12 June 1939 – Return of writ[13]
Candidates
Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot.[14][15]
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ind. United Australia | John Chirnside | Manager | |
| Independent | Leslie Hollins | Automotive engineer[16] | |
| Labor | Albert Nicholls | Public accountant | |
| Progressive Independent | Benjamin Nicholson | Former soldier who stood for UAP preselection[17][18] | |
| United Australia | Les Tyack | Hawthorn councillor[19][20] | |
| Ind. United Australia | William Vaughan | Printer and publisher | |
Additionally, L. H. Hagon declined to contest and William Hulse (Labor's candidate in 1929 and 1930) lost Labor preselection.[21][22]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labor | Albert Nicholls | 5,986 | 27.5 | −12.0 | |
| United Australia | Les Tyack | 5,769 | 26.5 | −34.0 | |
| Independent | Leslie Hollins | 3,428 | 15.8 | +15.8 | |
| Ind. United Australia | John Chirnside | 2,754 | 12.7 | +12.7 | |
| Ind. United Australia | William Vaughan | 2,193 | 10.1 | +10.1 | |
| Progressive Independent | Benjamin Nicholson | 1,606 | 7.4 | +7.4 | |
| Total formal votes | 21,736 | 95.8 | −3.1 | ||
| Informal votes | 948 | 4.2 | +3.1 | ||
| Turnout | 22,684 | 89.1 | −3.0 | ||
| Two-party-preferred result | |||||
| United Australia | Les Tyack | 11,757 | 54.1 | −6.4 | |
| Labor | Albert Nicholls | 9,979 | 45.9 | +6.4 | |
| United Australia hold | Swing | −6.4 | |||
See also
References
- ^ "SIX CANDIDATES IN FIELD". News. 10 June 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Mr. J. A. Gray (U.A.P.) Of Hawthorn". Sunraysia Daily. 8 May 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". The Argus. 6 June 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Victorian By-Election". The Mercury. 14 June 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "U.A.P. WINS IN HAWTHORN". The Argus. 14 June 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". Northern Standard. 12 June 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "U.A.P.'s Failure at Hawthorn". The Age. 29 March 1940. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Former M.L.A. Wins Hawthorn". The Age. 5 April 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "L.C.P. leader deposed at Hawthorn". The Sun News-Pictorial. 23 December 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "STATE MEMBER'S DEATH". The Age. 8 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Hawthorn By-election". The Sun News-Pictorial. 18 May 1939. p. 38. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Hawthorn By-Election". Sunraysia Daily. 29 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". The Age. 12 June 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ a b "THE THIRTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT ELECTED 2 OCTOBER 1937". Psephos: Adam Carr's Electoral Archive. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "ONE SURPRISE IN LIST FOR STATE BY-ELECTION". The Sun News-Pictorial. 30 May 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Hollins, Leslie Henry". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2006.
- ^ "SURPRISE CANDIDATE". The Herald. 29 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Mr. Nicholson's Candidature". The Age. 30 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Hawthorn By-Election". The Age. 29 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Tyack, Leslie". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2006.
- ^ "Hawthorn State By-Election". The Age. 12 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Hawthorn By-Election". The Herald. 29 May 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.