1941 South Australian state election

State elections were held in South Australia on 29 March 1941. All 39 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Liberal and Country League government led by Premier of South Australia Thomas Playford IV defeated the opposition Australian Labor Party led by Leader of the Opposition Robert Richards.

1941 South Australian state election

← 1938 29 March 1941 (1941-03-29) 1944 →

All 39 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly
20 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Thomas Playford Robert Richards
Party Liberal and Country League Labor
Leader since 5 November 1938 1 April 1938
Leader's seat Gumeracha Wallaroo
Last election 15 seats 9 seats
Seats won 20 seats 11 seats
Seat change Increase5 Increase2
Percentage 37.55% 33.25%
Swing Increase4.12 Increase7.08

Premier before election

Thomas Playford
Liberal and Country League

Elected Premier

Thomas Playford
Liberal and Country League

Background edit

Though the LCL was in minority government with 15 of 39 seats following the 1938 election, where 14 of 39 lower house MPs were elected as independents which as a grouping won more than either major party with 40 percent of the primary vote, the Playford LCL won a one-seat majority government following the 1941 election.

Turnout crashed to a record-low 50 percent, triggering the government to institute compulsory voting from the 1944 election.

Results edit

South Australian state election, 29 March 1941[1]
House of Assembly
<< 19381944 >>

Enrolled voters 339,263
Votes cast 171,978 Turnout 50.69% -12.62%
Informal votes 3,365 Informal 1.96% -0.20%
Summary of votes by party
Party Primary votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal and Country 63,317 37.55% +4.12% 20 + 5
  Labor 56,062 33.25% +7.08% 11 + 2
  Independent 41,487 24.60% –9.48% 5 – 7
  Independent Labor 5,090 3.02% –2.63% 2 ± 0
  Independent Liberal 2,657 1.58% * 1 + 1
Total 168,613     39  

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Summary of 1941 Election". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2015.