Senator Andrew Bartlett
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
 
Werriwa - An historic result for Informal?

Labor is the only party that can take much positive out of the Werriwa result. It is a useful result for them, especially given the dangers that by-elections can occasionally present. It will also make good propaganda value, although the realists in the Labor Party will know that it doesn't mean a great deal.

However, there was one aspect which doesn't seem to have attracted too much commentary, which is the informal vote. According to the current
figures on the AEC website, it is over 10 per cent, which must be one of the higher percentages ever recorded for the informal vote in a House of Reps seat.

More significantly, I am wondering whether it is the first time ever that Informal has actually come in second. The next highest is the independent Liberal candidate, James Young, who is currently polling less than 8 per cent, so I doubt he will catch up to Informal.

The
Psephos site by Adam Carr is the best site I know of for election statistics. It includes the results of every federal by-election back to 1901 (and a hell of a lot more). I didn’t have the energy to go back through them all, but whilst Informal has put in a few good showings here and there, I couldn't find any where it got into second place. If anyone finds another example, please let me know.

As an aside, it is interesting to see the names that pop up as candidates in by-elections who went on to be elected in other contexts, or who keep re-appearing as candidates. Marc Aussie-Stone, a candidate in last weekend Werriwa contest, appeared as a candidate in the Bass by-election in 1974 (and plenty more in between). Peter Consadine is another regular contestant.


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