1964 Tasmanian state election

The 1964 Tasmanian state election was held on 2 May 1964 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 35 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system[1] — seven members were elected from each of five electorates.

1964 Tasmanian state election

← 1959 2 May 1964 1969 →

All 35 seats to the House of Assembly
  First party Second party
 
Leader Eric Reece Angus Bethune
Party Labor Liberal
Leader since 26 August 1958 19 March 1960
Leader's seat Braddon Wilmot
Last election 17 seats 16 seats
Seats won 19 seats 16 seats
Seat change Increase2 Steady0
Percentage 51.32% 38.49%
Swing Increase6.82 Decrease2.57

Results of the election

Premier before election

Eric Reece
Labor

Elected Premier

Eric Reece
Labor

The Labor Party, in power since 1934, was seeking a tenth term in office, and Premier Eric Reece was contesting his second election in that role, this time against Leader of the Opposition Angus Bethune of the Liberal Party. Despite its longevity, the peculiarities of the Tasmanian Hare-Clark system meant it had served as a minority government with the support of independents since the 1946 election.

This is to date the last time that a sitting Premier, in Reece, has won back to back elections and was the first and only time that a Tasmanian Government won a tenth consecutive term in office.

Results

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Labor won a majority in the House of Assembly with 19 of the 35 seats. Dr Reg Turnbull, the former Labor treasurer who had won 27.9% as an independent in Bass in 1959 (equal to 5.64% of the statewide vote) departed in 1961 for the Australian Senate, with most of his vote returning to his former party.

 
PartyVotes%+/–Seats+/–
Labor90,63151.32  6.8219  2
Liberal67,97138.49  2.5716 
Country9,2805.26  5.260 
Independents5,4623.09  5.960  2
Democratic Labor3,1551.79  3.500 
Communist920.05  0.040 
Total176,591100.0035
Valid votes176,59195.68
Invalid/blank votes7,9804.32  1.44
Total votes184,571100.00
Registered voters/turnout193,41895.43  0.86
Popular vote
Labor
51.32%
Liberal
38.49%
Country
5.26%
DLP
1.79%
Communist
0.05%
Independents
3.09%
Seats
Labor
54.29%
Liberal
45.71%

Distribution of votes

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Primary vote by division

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Bass Braddon Denison Franklin Wilmot
Labor Party 49.9% 56.6% 44.0% 53.2% 52.3%
Liberal Party 41.2% 32.9% 44.9% 36.5% 37.5%
Other 9.0% 10.5% 11.1% 10.4% 10.3%

Distribution of seats

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See also

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References

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