May being almost upon us, a hardcore psephologist’s thoughts turn to the curious spectacle of a Tasmanian periodical upper house election. Mainlanders who know of the Tasmanian Legislative Council’s existence usually note it for its historical conservatism and preponderance of independents, but few are aware of its unusual manner of election. Just as Tasmania bucks [...]
Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth
Category Archives: Tasmanian Periodical Elections
Rowallan and Wellington live
Saturday, May 6, 2006 – 4:19 pm
WELLINGTON
Primary
Swing
2PP
Swing
LABOR
43.2
-3.4
60.4
0.9
GREENS
26.1
-1.6
39.6
-0.9
Marti Zucco
14.4
-
Christian Democratic
5.3
-
Paul Hiscutt
8.1
-
Stephen Roomes
2.8
-
73% COUNTED
Sunday 4.00pm. The table has been amended to factor in late results and new intelligence on preference flows (thanks Kevin), and also to correct a calculation error that was inflating Labor’s vote after preferences.
7.38pm. Not sure if they do notional preference counts on election night – I could forgive them [...]
Rowallan and Wellington
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 – 3:56 pm
In the past two years, the Poll Bludger cornered the market in online commentary of the annual Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections. This time, I have been beaten to the punch by this excellent summary from Kevin Bonham of the Tasmanian Times, to which there is regrettably little to add. However, a broad overview is [...]
In like Lin
Saturday, May 7, 2005 – 2:34 pm
Today’s periodic elections for the Tasmanian Legislative Council produced a handsome win for Labor incumbent Lin Thorp in Rumney and a predictably indecisive outcome in Murchison, where the result will be decided by preferences. At the close of counting, with declaration and absentee votes still to come, Thorp was on 51.0 per cent of the [...]
Murchison and Rumney: part two
Tuesday, May 3, 2005 – 2:33 pm
The division of Rumney is based around Storm Bay about 25 kilometres east of Hobart and includes Sorell, Richmond and Port Arthur. It was won for Labor upon its creation in 1999 by Lin Thorp, who did exceptionally well to defeat incumbent Steve Wilson, member for the abolished division of Monmouth from 1980. Although he [...]
Murchison and Rumney: part one
Monday, May 2, 2005 – 2:32 pm
On the first Saturday of each May, voters in either two or three of the 15 divisions that make up the Tasmanian Legislative Council elect members to serve six-year terms. Three such elections were scheduled for this year – in Murchison in the state’s north-west, Rumney to the east of Hobart and Paterson in Launceston [...]
Half-time report
Saturday, May 1, 2004 – 9:00 pm
Results from the Tasmanian upper house elections are in line with the expectations outlined below, although Steve Mav has done better than I predicted in finishing the night a close second in Apsley, presumably having projected his Liberal credentials sufficiently to win over party loyalists. However such has been the spread of support among the [...]
Belated Apsley and Elwick preview
Saturday, May 1, 2004 – 12:00 pm
The Poll Bludger apologises for his failure to come good on his promised preview of today’s Tasmanian Legislative Council elections in a more timely manner, as the good citizens of Apsley and Elwick now have only a few hours to absorb the invaluable insights contained herein before exercising their vote. Better late than never though. [...]
Council of the wise
Monday, April 12, 2004 – 12:00 pm
The best way to explain the Tasmanian parliamentary system to newcomers is to say that it’s like the federal parliament, only the other way round – single-member districts in the upper house, with multi-member electorates chosen by proportional representation in the lower. Of the many important features that this glosses over, perhaps the most significant [...]
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