1939 Hawthorn state by-election

1939 Hawthorn state by-election

←  1937 10 June 1939 1940  →
Electoral district of Hawthorn in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Registered	25,459 [1]
Turnout	89.1% ( 3.0)
First party Second party Third party   Candidate Albert Nicholls Les Tyack Leslie Hollins Party Labor United Australia Independent Primary  vote 5,986 5,769 3,428 Percentage 27.5% 26.5% 15.8% Swing 12.0 34.0 15.8 2PP 45.9% 54.1% 2PP swing 6.4 6.4
MP before election John Gray United Australia Elected MP Les Tyack United Australia

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

1939 Hawthorn state by-election ^[14]

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

• Electoral results for the district of Hawthorn
• List of Victorian state by-elections

References

1. "SIX CANDIDATES IN FIELD". News. 10 June 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
2. "Mr. J. A. Gray (U.A.P.) Of Hawthorn". Sunraysia Daily. 8 May 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
3. "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". The Argus. 6 June 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
4. "Victorian By-Election". The Mercury. 14 June 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
5. "U.A.P. WINS IN HAWTHORN". The Argus. 14 June 1939. p. 1. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
6. "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". Northern Standard. 12 June 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
7. "U.A.P.'s Failure at Hawthorn". The Age. 29 March 1940. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
8. "Former M.L.A. Wins Hawthorn". The Age. 5 April 1950. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
9. "L.C.P. leader deposed at Hawthorn". The Sun News-Pictorial. 23 December 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
10. "STATE MEMBER'S DEATH". The Age. 8 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
11. "Hawthorn By-election". The Sun News-Pictorial. 18 May 1939. p. 38. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
12. "Hawthorn By-Election". Sunraysia Daily. 29 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
13. "HAWTHORN BY-ELECTION". The Age. 12 June 1939. p. 8. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
14. "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.
15. "ONE SURPRISE IN LIST FOR STATE BY-ELECTION". The Sun News-Pictorial. 30 May 1939. p. 9. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
16. "Hollins, Leslie Henry". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2006.
17. "SURPRISE CANDIDATE". The Herald. 29 May 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
18. "Mr. Nicholson's Candidature". The Age. 30 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
19. "Hawthorn By-Election". The Age. 29 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
20. "Tyack, Leslie". Parliament of Victoria. Archived from the original on 23 August 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2006.
21. "Hawthorn State By-Election". The Age. 12 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
22. "Hawthorn By-Election". The Herald. 29 May 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2025.