2020 Johnston by-election

A by-election in the seat of Johnston in the Northern Territory was held on 29 February 2020,[1] following the resignation of Ken Vowles, the MLA for Johnston, on 31 January 2020.[2] Vowles was first elected in the 2012 Northern Territory general election, winning 45% of first preference votes and 55.7% of the two-party-preferred vote.[3] At the 2016 Northern Territory general election, Vowles was re-elected with 51% of first preference votes and 64.7% of the two-party-preferred vote.[4]

2020 Johnston by-election

← 2016 29 February 2020 (2020-02-29) 2020 →

The division of Johnston in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Turnout68.5% Decrease 11.9
  First party Second party Third party
 
TA
Candidate Joel Bowden Steven Klose Aiya Goodrich Carttling
Party Labor Territory Alliance Greens
Popular vote 983 728 565
Percentage 29.9 22.1 17.2
Swing Decrease 21.5 Increase 22.1 Steady
TCP 52.6% 47.4%
TCP swing Decrease 12.1 Increase 47.4

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
BAN
Candidate Josh Thomas Braedon Earley
Party Country Liberal Ban Fracking
Popular vote 536 343
Percentage 16.3 10.4
Swing Decrease 16.3 Increase 10.4

Map of the electoral division of Johnston in the Darwin/Palmerston area

MLA before election

Ken Vowles
Labor

Elected MLA

Joel Bowden
Labor

Former AFL footballer Joel Bowden won the by-election, representing the Labor Party.[5] In a highly unusual move, the Greens preferenced Labor last on their how-to-vote cards (HTVs), even behind the Country Liberal Party (CLP), due to Labor's support for fracking.[6]

Candidates

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A total of 7 candidates were declared nominated by the NTEC.[7]

7 candidates in ballot paper order
Party Candidate Background
  Greens Aiya Goodrich Carttling Children's entertainer[8]
  Country Liberal Josh Thomas Drugs and alcohol outreach worker[9]
  Labor Joel Bowden Union official and former professional Australian rules footballer[10]
  Independent Trevor Jenkins
  Independent George Mamouzellos
  Territory Alliance Steven Klose Country Liberal candidate for Johnston in 2016[11]
  Ban Fracking Fix Crime Protect Water Braedon Earley Former Country Liberal president, founder of 1 Territory Party[12]

Results

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2020 Johnston by-election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Joel Bowden 983 29.9 −21.5
Territory Alliance Steven Klose 728 22.1 N/A
Greens Aiya Goodrich Carttling 565 17.2 ±0.0
Country Liberal Josh Thomas 536 16.3 −15.1
Ban Fracking Fix Crime Protect Water Braedon Earley 343 10.4 N/A
Independent Trevor Jenkins 80 2.4 N/A
Independent George Mamouzellos 57 1.7 N/A
Total formal votes 3,292 96.4 −1.7
Informal votes 123 3.6 +1.7
Turnout 3,415 68.5 −11.9
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Joel Bowden 1,731 52.6 −12.1
Territory Alliance Steven Klose 1,561 47.4 +47.4
Labor hold  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "By-election date set for Johnston". The NT News. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  2. ^ Garrick, Matt (29 November 2019). "Labor preselecting for Johnston by-election after Ken Vowles's surprise resignation". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  3. ^ LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 25 August 2012, NTEC
  4. ^ "Johnston". 24 October 2018.
  5. ^ "NT by-election: Ex-AFL star Joel Bowden wins seat of Johnston". news.com.au. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Breaking decades of precedent, NT Greens to preference conservatives ahead of Labor". ABC News. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  7. ^ Green, Antony. "Johnston by-election". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Aiya Goodrich Carttling".
  9. ^ "Josh Thomas announced as CLP candidate for Johnston". Northern Territory News. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  10. ^ Smith, Mark J. "2020 NT election: A hung Parliament is possible". Alice Springs News.
  11. ^ "Steven Klose to run for Territory Alliance". NT News.
  12. ^ Chlanda, Erwin. "Braedon Earley to stand for Parliament". Alice Springs News.
  13. ^ "Division of Johnston results". Northern Territory Electoral Commission. 29 February 2020. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
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