2021 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election

2021 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election

1 May 2021
3 of the 15 seats in the Legislative Council 8 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Independent Liberal Labor Seats before 2 0 1 Seats won 1 1 1 Seat change 1 1
Results by electoral division

Periodic elections for the Tasmanian Legislative Council were held on 1 May 2021. The three seats that were up for election are Derwent, Mersey and Windermere.[1] They were last contested in 2015.[2] Only two of the three seats were actually contested, as the incumbent candidate for Mersey, Mike Gaffney, was returned unopposed.[3]

The periodic elections coincided with the snap general election for the House of Assembly.[4]

Derwent

The seat of Derwent has been held by Labor member Craig Farrell since 2011, when he won the seat in a by-election triggered by the resignation of Michael Aird. Farrell has been President of the Tasmanian Legislative Council since May 2019.[5]

Derwent Results

2021 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections: Derwent[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Craig Farrell	10,069	49.09	−15.26
	Liberal	Ben Shaw	8,385	40.88	+40.88
	Animal Justice	Ivan Davis	2,059	10.04	+10.04
Total formal votes			20,513	94.4	+0.60
Informal votes			1,217	5.60	−0.60
Turnout			21,730	81.64	+1.46
Registered electors			26,618
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Craig Farrell	11,415	55.65	−8.69
	Liberal	Ben Shaw	9,098	44.35	+44.35
	Labor hold		Swing	–8.69

Mersey

The seat of Mersey was held by the independent Mike Gaffney, first elected in 2009. Gaffney was the only candidate to nominate, and was declared elected unopposed on 1 April 2021.[7][3]

Mersey Results

2021 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election: Mersey[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mike Gaffney	unopposed
	Independent hold		Swing

Windermere

The seat of Windermere was held by the independent Ivan Dean from 2003. Dean retired at this election.[9] The seat was won by Liberal candidate Nick Duigan.[10]

Windermere Results

2021 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic elections: Windermere[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Nick Duigan	8,048	37.83	+37.83
	Labor	Geoff Lyons	5,746	27.01	−1.52
	Independent	Will Smith	4,521	21.25	+21.25
	Independent	Rob Soward	2,071	9.73	+9.73
	Independent	Vivienne Gale	890	4.18	+4.18
Total formal votes			21,276	95.15	+0.44
Informal votes			1,084	4.85	−0.44
Turnout			22,360	81.78	+3.17
Registered electors			27,342
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal	Nick Duigan	11,400	54.14	+54.14
	Labor	Geoff Lyons	9,658	45.86	+1.56
	Liberal gain from Independent

References

1. "Legislative Council elections 2021". tec.tas.gov.au.
2. "Count under way for Tas upper house - 9News". Nine News. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
3. "Mike Gaffney to be returned unopposed in Mersey". The Advocate. 1 April 2021.
4. "Tasmanians to vote on May 1 as Liberals and Labor trade first blows". ABC News. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
5. Maloney, Matt (21 May 2019). "Farrell elected as president". The Advocate. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
6. "Derwent results - 2021 Legislative Council elections Tasmania". www.tec.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 7 May 2021..
7. "Legislative Council Candidates Announced". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
8. "Legislative Council elections". 2021 Legislative Council elections results - Mersey. Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
9. "Veteran independent politician Ivan Dean to bow out of Tasmanian Parliament". ABC News. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
10. "Liberal candidate Nick Duigan wins Upper House seat of Windermere in Tasmanian election - ABC News". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
11. "Windermere results - 2021 Legislative Council elections Tasmania". www.tec.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 5 May 2021..