1951 Macquarie by-election

The 1951 by-election for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Macquarie was held on 28 July after the death of the incumbent Australian Labor Party member, former Prime Minister Ben Chifley, who died on 14 June after suffering a heart attack. Chifley's death came less than three months after the 1951 general election.

Candidates

Contesting the seat for the Labor Party was Tony Luchetti, who had been the Lang Labor candidate in Macquarie in 1931 and 1934, his preferences defeating Chifley in 1931.[1][2] William Blanchard ran as an independent Labor candidate in protest at Luchetti's selection as Chifley's successor.[3]

Their main opponent was William Hannam of the Liberal Party of Australia.[3] Vernon Moffitt, representing the Communist Party of Australia, also ran.

Results
Macquarie by-election, 1951
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labor Tony Luchetti 18,426 52.3 -9.5
Liberal William Hannam 12,356 35.1 -3.1
Independent Labor William Blanchard 3,853 10.9 +10.9
Communist Vernon Moffitt 575 1.6 +1.6
Total formal votes 35,210 99.1
Informal votes 325 0.9
Turnout 35,535 90.5

Aftermath

At the following 1954 general election Luchetti retained the seat and was the sole Labor candidate.[4]

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See also

References
  1. Adam Carr. "Commonwealth of Australia Legislative Election of 19 December 1931". psephos. Adam Carr. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
  2. Adam Carr. "Commonwealth of Australia Legislative Election of 15 September 1934". psephos. Adam Carr. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
  3. Adam Carr. "Commonwealth of Australia Legislative By-election of 1951 - Macquarie". psephos. Adam Carr. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
  4. Adam Carr. "Commonwealth of Australia Legislative Election of 29 May 1954". psephos. Adam Carr. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 2011-05-02.
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