2009 Pembroke state by-election

Last updated

2009 Pembroke state by-election
Flag of Tasmania.svg
1 August 2009
 First partySecond party
  Vanessa Goodwin.jpg
IND
Candidate Vanessa Goodwin Richard James
Party Liberal Independent
First preference vote7,8122,285
Percentage38.55%11.28%
SwingIncrease2.svg38.55ppDecrease2.svg7.10pp
Three-candidate-preferred51.05%27.73%

 Third partyFourth party
 
GRN
IND
CandidateWendy HeatleyHoney Bacon
Party Greens Independent
First preference vote2,6042,110
Percentage12.85%10.41%
SwingDecrease2.svg0.56ppDecrease2.svg10.41pp
Three-candidate-preferred21.22%Eliminated

MLC before election

Allison Ritchie
Labor

Elected MLC

Vanessa Goodwin
Liberal

A by-election was held in the Tasmanian Legislative Council division of Pembroke on 1 August 2009. [1] It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member Allison Ritchie.

Contents

Background

Ritchie was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2001 at the age of 26, the youngest person ever elected to that chamber. She spent nine and a half weeks as Minister for Planning and Workplace Relations in 2008, but resigned due to ill health. [2] She announced her resignation from parliament amid allegations of nepotism on 20 June 2009. [3]

Candidates

The writ for the by-election was issued on 30 June 2009; nominations closed on 9 July. [1] The eight candidates were:

Results

Pembroke state by-election, 2009 [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Vanessa Goodwin 7,81238.55+38.55
Greens Wendy Heatley2,60412.85–0.56
Independent Richard James2,28511.28–7.10
Independent Labor Honey Bacon2,11010.41+10.41
Independent John Peers1,9429.58+0.32
Independent Labor James Crotty1,7838.80+8.80
Independent Peter Cooper1,5107.45+7.45
Independent Kit (Sharon) Soo2191.08+1.08
Total formal votes20,26596.48–0.26
Informal votes7403.52+0.26
Turnout 21,00585.05–2.47
After distribution of preferences
Liberal Vanessa Goodwin 10,14351.05
Independent Richard James5,51027.73
Greens Wendy Heatley4,21521.22
Liberal gain from Labor Swing N/A

References

  1. 1 2 "Tasmanian Legislative Council Pembroke 2009". Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009.
  2. Minister resigns from Cabinet, ABC News, November 24, 2008
  3. Allison Ritchie quits Tas Parliament, ABC News, June 20, 2009
  4. ABC Elections
  5. "Pembroke by-election results table: Tasmanian Electoral Commission". Archived from the original on 2 October 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009.