2023 Tasmanian Legislative Council election results

The Upper House of the Tasmanian Parliament has seen not one, but three surprising results at Saturday’s Legislative election. DETAILS >

All three Legislative Council sitting members have been returned – with one recording the highest ever vote for a candidate with three or more opponents.

Election analyst Dr Kevin Bonham said Ruth Forrest’s return in Murchison with a massive 71.89 per cent against three other candidates beat the previous record of Peter McKay in Pembroke with 66.4 per cent of the vote in 1976.

“It shows her standing in the community and that the opposition against her was uncompetitive,” he said.

“To get a record vote in a field of four means that she’s not doing much wrong.”

Dr Bonham said the results in all three seats were not surprising but the magnitude of the wins was notable.

Ruth Forrest had a landslide result in the weekend’s Legislative Council election. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“The size of the wins is notable and shows how lopsided the results are,” he said.

In the southern seat of Rumney Sarah Lovell finished with a whisker over half of all votes on 50.46 per cent, followed by the Liberal’s Gregory Brown 26.49 per cent, Clarence councillor Tony Mulder 16.59 per cent and Adrian Pickin 6.46 per cent.

Dr Bonham said he had expected Ms Lovell to win easily “but the scale of it is at the high end”.

Sarah Lovell MLC. Picture: Chris Kidd

“It was similar to Pembroke for Labor last year and it could be down to so many things, not just the fact she was the sitting member,” he said.

“It could be cost of living or it could be sending a message to the government on all sorts of things.

“There appears to be no appetite to change to a Liberal, voters are happy with the current member.”

In the seat of Launceston, independent Rosemary Armitage trounced Greens candidate Cecily Rosol winning 78.64 per cent of the vote.

Dr Bonham believes the Greens ran a low key campaign in a seat where they traditionally did not poll well.

Tasmanian Electoral Commission deputy commissioner Ngaire Edwards said rechecking of polling place first preferences would start on Monday together with counting of provisional and out ot division votes.

“The second Postal counts are expected late this week and will include outstanding postal, interstate pre-poll, Antarctic and telephone votes,” she said.

“There are currently 1,154 outstanding postal votes that can still be received up until 10am Tuesday May 16.”

The Legislative Council currently has four Liberal, four Labor and seven independent members.