Balaclava by-election, 1951

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Balaclava on 28 July 1951. This was triggered by the resignation of Liberal MP Thomas White, the Air and Civil Aviation Minister, to become Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. A by-election for the seat of Macquarie was held on the same day.

The by-election was won by Liberal candidate Percy Joske.

Results

Balaclava by-election, 1951[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Percy Joske 20,337 57.0 -6.3
Labor Arthur Lewis 13,279 37.2 +0.5
Independent Grace Stratton 2,035 5.7 +5.7
Total formal votes 35,651 99.2
Informal votes 274 0.8
Turnout 35,925 83.9
Two-party-preferred result
Liberal Percy Joske 59.9 -3.4
Labor Arthur Lewis 40.1 +3.4
Liberal hold Swing -3.4

References