1994 Torrens state by-election

The 1994 Torrens state by-election was a by-election held on 7 May 1994 for the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Torrens, centred in the inner north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. This was triggered by the death of Liberal MHA Joe Tiernan on 31 March 1994, only four months after winning the seat at its first contest in the 1993 state election on a two-party vote of 56.22 percent.

Timeline

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31 March 1994

Tiernan died, vacating the seat of Torrens.

10 April 1994

Writ of election issued by Speaker of the House of Assembly.

22 April 1994, at noon

Close of nominations and ballot paper order draw conducted.

7 May 1994

Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm.[1]

Results

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The Democrats, Call to Australia, and Natural Law, who contested the previous election and gained 9.7 percent, 2.6 percent, and 1.9 percent respectively, did not contest the by-election. Labor won the seat from the Liberals.

Torrens by-election, 7 May 1994[2][3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Robyn Geraghty 8,261 47.14 +11.66
Liberal Stephen Ernst 7,785 44.42 -3.98
HEMP Dave Sag 459 2.62 +2.62
Independent (No Mining in National Parks) Scott Wilson 336 1.92 +1.92
Grey Power William Patrick 224 1.28 +1.28
Independent (Christians for Law and Order) Robert Payne 214 1.22 +1.22
Independent Bernhard Cotton 166 0.95 +0.95
Independent (Smokers' Rights) Dorothy Bremert 79 0.45 +0.45
Total formal votes 17,524 95.78 −0.10
Informal votes 773 4.22 +0.10
Turnout 18,297 85.34 −8.89
Two-party-preferred result
Labor Robyn Geraghty 9,185 52.41 +8.63
Liberal Stephen Ernst 8,339 47.59 -8.63
Labor gain from Liberal Swing +8.63

See also

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References

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  1. ^ State Electoral Office (1995). Statistical returns for general elections—11 December 1993 and By-elections. p. 184.
  2. ^ History of South Australian elections, 1857-2006 - by Dean Jaensch - ISBN 978-0-9750486-3-4
  3. ^ State Electoral Office (1995). Statistical returns for general elections—11 December 1993 and By-elections. pp. 166, 188–189.