Tasmanian state election, 1959

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2 May 1959

1964 →

	First party	Second party

Leader	Eric Reece	Tim Jackson
Party	Labor	Liberal
Leader since	26 August 1958	26 June 1956
Leader's seat	Braddon	Franklin
Last election	15 seats	15 seats
Seats won	17 seats	16 seats
Seat change	2	1
Percentage	44.5%	41.05%
Swing	5.77	2.54

Premier before election

Eric Reece
Labor

Resulting Premier

Eric Reece
Labor

The Tasmanian state election, 1959 was held on 2 May 1959 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 35 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The number of members were increased from this election from 30 to 35. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system — seven members were elected from each of five electorates.

The two previous elections had resulted in a parliamentary deadlock due to an even number of seats (30) in the House of Assembly. Prior to the 1959 election, the number of seats was increased to 35.

Robert Cosgrove had retired as Premier of Tasmania, and had been replaced by Eric Reece on 26 August 1958.

The Australian Labor Party won the most seats in the newly expanded House of Assembly, but not enough to govern in a majority as two seats were won by Independents. The 1959 election was the last occasion in which an ungrouped independent (Bill Wedd) won a seat in Tasmania.

Former Labor Treasurer Dr Reg Turnbull won two quotas in his own right as an independent in Bass, representing 5.64% of the statewide result.

Tasmanian state election, 2 May 1959
House of Assembly
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