Results of the 1956 South Australian state election (House of Assembly)

South Australian state election, 3 March 1956^[1] House of Assembly << 1953–1959 >>
Enrolled voters		299,048
Votes cast		280,811		Turnout	93.90%	–1.11%
Informal votes		6,702		Informal	2.39%	–0.54%
Summary of votes by party
Party		Primary votes	%	Swing	Seats	Change
	Labor	129,853	47.37%	–3.60%	15	± 0
	Liberal and Country	100,569	36.95%	+0.23%	21	+ 1
	Labor (A-C)	20,384	7.44%	*	0	± 0
	Communist	3,185	1.16%	–0.32%	0	± 0
	Independent	20,118	7.34%	–3.76%	3	– 1
Total		274,109			39
Two-party-preferred
	Liberal and Country		51.30%	+4.30%
	Labor		48.70%	–4.30%

This is a list of House of Assembly results for the 1956 South Australian state election.

Results by electoral district

Adelaide

1956 South Australian state election: Adelaide^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Sam Lawn	15,116	76.8
	Labor (A-C)	James O'Sullivan	3,281	16.7
	Communist	Edward Robertson	1,295	6.6
Total formal votes			19,692	95.2
Informal votes			989	4.8
Turnout			20,681	92.0
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Labor	Sam Lawn		81.7
	Labor (A-C)	James O'Sullivan		18.3
	Labor hold		Swing

Two candidate preferred vote was estimated.

Albert

1956 South Australian state election: Albert
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Malcolm McIntosh	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Alexandra

1956 South Australian state election: Alexandra
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	David Brookman	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Angas

1956 South Australian state election: Angas
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Berthold Teusner	4,655	77.6
	Independent	William Viney	1,344	22.4
Total formal votes			5,999	97.7
Informal votes			142	2.3
Turnout			6,141	95.7
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Barossa

1956 South Australian state election: Barossa
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Condor Laucke	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Burnside

1956 South Australian state election: Burnside
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Geoffrey Clarke	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Burra

1956 South Australian state election: Burra
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Percy Quirke	3,015	51.2
	Liberal and Country	George Hawker	2,876	48.8
Total formal votes			5,891	98.9
Informal votes			67	1.1
Turnout			5,958	95.1
	Independent gain from Liberal and Country		Swing

Chaffey

1956 South Australian state election: Chaffey
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	William MacGillivray	2,386	35.9
	Liberal and Country	Harold King	2,249	33.9
	Labor	Robert Curren	1,971	29.7
	Independent	William Napier	36	0.5
Total formal votes			6,642	97.4
Informal votes			174	2.6
Turnout			6,816	95.7
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Harold King	3,669	55.2
	Independent	William MacGillivray	2,973	44.8
	Liberal and Country gain from Independent		Swing

Edwardstown

1956 South Australian state election: Edwardstown
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Frank Walsh	15,366	74.3
	Labor (A-C)	Patrick Tippins	5,317	25.7
Total formal votes			20,683	96.0
Informal votes			858	4.0
Turnout			21,541	93.6
	Labor hold		Swing

Enfield

1956 South Australian state election: Enfield
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Jack Jennings	14,091	67.2
	Liberal and Country	Betty Preston	5,865	28.0
	Labor (A-C)	Charles Matthews	1,005	4.8
Total formal votes			20,961	98.2
Informal votes			383	1.8
Turnout			21,344	93.9
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Jack Jennings		67.9
	Liberal and Country	Betty Preston		32.1
	Labor hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Eyre

1956 South Australian state election: Eyre
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	George Bockelberg	3,498	55.9
	Independent	Herbert Hogan	1,793	28.6
	Independent	George Simpson	970	15.5
Total formal votes			6,261	98.4
Informal votes			100	1.6
Turnout			9,361	93.4
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Preferences were not distributed.

Flinders

1956 South Australian state election: Flinders
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Glen Pearson	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Frome

1956 South Australian state election: Frome
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Mick O'Halloran	2,844	52.6
	Liberal and Country	Raymond McAuley	1,954	36.2
	Labor (A-C)	Michael Hoare	606	11.2
Total formal votes			5,404	98.6
Informal votes			76	1.4
Turnout			5,480	89.0
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Mick O'Halloran		54.3
	Liberal and Country	Raymond McAuley		45.7
	Labor hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Gawler

1956 South Australian state election: Gawler
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	John Clark	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Glenelg

1956 South Australian state election: Glenelg
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Baden Pattinson	11,650	53.6
	Labor	Loftus Fenwick	8,959	41.3
	Labor (A-C)	Peter Lasarewitch	1,100	5.1
Total formal votes			21,719	98.5
Informal votes			325	1.5
Turnout			22,044	94.4
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Baden Pattinson		58.0
	Labor	Loftus Fenwick		42.0
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Gouger

1956 South Australian state election: Gouger
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Rufus Goldney	4,330	70.5
	Independent	Hector Henstridge	1,813	29.5
Total formal votes			6,143	96.8
Informal votes			205	3.2
Turnout			6,348	95.2
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Gumeracha

1956 South Australian state election: Gumeracha
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Thomas Playford	5,457	88.6
	Communist	Fred Slater	705	11.4
Total formal votes			6,162	96.1
Informal votes			251	3.9
Turnout			6,413	94.8
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Hindmarsh

1956 South Australian state election: Hindmarsh
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Cyril Hutchens	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Light

1956 South Australian state election: Light
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	George Hambour	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Millicent

1956 South Australian state election: Millicent
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Jim Corcoran	3,201	52.3
	Liberal and Country	William Gordon	2,918	47.7
Total formal votes			6,119	99.3
Informal votes			42	0.7
Turnout			6,161	95.3
	Labor hold		Swing

Mitcham

1956 South Australian state election: Mitcham
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Robin Millhouse	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Mount Gambier

1956 South Australian state election: Mount Gambier
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	John Fletcher	3,822	56.1
	Labor	Ron Ralston	2,988	43.9
Total formal votes			6,810	98.5
Informal votes			103	1.5
Turnout			6,913	95.1
	Independent hold		Swing

Murray

1956 South Australian state election: Murray
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Gabe Bywaters	3,533	51.4
	Liberal and Country	Hector White	3,340	48.6
Total formal votes			6,873	98.5
Informal votes			104	1.5
Turnout			6,977	96.1
	Labor gain from Liberal and Country		Swing

Norwood

1956 South Australian state election: Norwood
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Don Dunstan	11,981	56.5
	Liberal and Country	Roy Moir	8,323	39.3
	Labor (A-C)	John Parkinson	884	4.2
Total formal votes			21,188	98.4
Informal votes			354	1.6
Turnout			21,532	93.8
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Don Dunstan		57.2
	Liberal and Country	Roy Moir		42.8
	Labor hold		Swing

Onkaparinga

1956 South Australian state election: Onkaparinga
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Howard Shannon	4,189	70.1
	Independent	Frank Rieck	1,786	29.9
Total formal votes			5,975	95.7
Informal votes			269	4.3
Turnout			6,244	94.1
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Port Adelaide

1956 South Australian state election: Port Adelaide
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	James Stephens	16,321	77.8
	Labor (A-C)	Brian Crowe	3,461	16.5
	Communist	Alan Finger	1,185	5.7
Total formal votes			20,967	95.8
Informal votes			916	4.2
Turnout			21,883	93.7
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Labor	James Stephens		82.1
	Labor (A-C)	Brian Crowe		17.9
	Labor hold		Swing

Two candidate preferred vote was estimated.

Port Pirie

1956 South Australian state election: Port Pirie
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Charles Davis	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Ridley

1956 South Australian state election: Ridley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Tom Stott	2,638	42.7
	Liberal and Country	Cyril Tunbridge	2,054	33.2
	Labor	Arnold Busbridge	1,487	24.1
Total formal votes			6,179	99.0
Informal votes			65	1.0
Turnout			6,244	96.6
Two-candidate-preferred result
	Independent	Tom Stott	3,771	61.0
	Liberal and Country	Cyril Tunbridge	2,408	39.0
	Independent hold		Swing

Rocky River

1956 South Australian state election: Rocky River
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	James Heaslip	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Semaphore

1956 South Australian state election: Semaphore
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Harold Tapping	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Stirling

1956 South Australian state election: Stirling
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	William Jenkins	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Stuart

1956 South Australian state election: Stuart
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Lindsay Riches	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Torrens

1956 South Australian state election: Torrens
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	John Coumbe	10,601	51.3
	Labor	George Seager	8,382	40.6
	Labor (A-C)	Olaf Alland	1,674	8.1
Total formal votes			20,657	98.4
Informal votes			336	1.6
Turnout			20,993	93.6
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	John Coumbe		58.2
	Labor	George Seager		41.8
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Unley

1956 South Australian state election: Unley
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Colin Dunnage	10,900	53.6
	Labor	Cyril Hasse	7,868	38.7
	Labor (A-C)	Francis Ryan	1,566	7.7
Total formal votes			20,334	98.1
Informal votes			386	1.9
Turnout			20,720	93.6
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Colin Dunnage		60.2
	Labor	Cyril Hasse		39.8
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Victoria

1956 South Australian state election: Victoria
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Leslie Harding	3,841	61.7
	Labor	Victor Sparrow	2,385	38.3
Total formal votes			6,226	98.6
Informal votes			90	1.4
Turnout			9,316	94.1
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

Wallaroo

1956 South Australian state election: Wallaroo
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal and Country	Leslie Heath	2,971	47.2
	Labor	Robert Butler	2,808	44.6
	Independent	Arthur Clarke	515	8.2
Total formal votes			6,294	99.0
Informal votes			62	1.0
Turnout			6,356	96.3
Two-party-preferred result
	Liberal and Country	Leslie Heath	3,271	52.0
	Labor	Robert Butler	3,023	48.0
	Liberal and Country gain from Labor		Swing

West Torrens

1956 South Australian state election: West Torrens
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labor	Fred Walsh	10,542	50.4
	Liberal and Country	Frank Potter	8,898	42.5
	Labor (A-C)	Patrick McEwen	1,490	7.1
Total formal votes			20,930	98.1
Informal votes			405	1.9
Turnout			21,335	93.1
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Fred Walsh		51.4
	Liberal and Country	Frank Potter		48.6
	Labor hold		Swing

Two party preferred vote was estimated.

Whyalla

1956 South Australian state election: Whyalla
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Ron Loveday	unopposed
	Labor hold		Swing

Yorke Peninsula

1956 South Australian state election: Yorke Peninsula
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal and Country	Cecil Hincks	unopposed
	Liberal and Country hold		Swing

References

^ "Summary of 1956 Election". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2015.
^ "History of South Australian Elections 1857 - 2006". Electoral Commission SA. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

[1] "Summary of 1956 Election". University of Western Australia. Retrieved 7 July 2015.

[2] "History of South Australian Elections 1857 - 2006". Electoral Commission SA. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

[1]

[2]

Results by electoral district

Adelaide

Albert

Alexandra

Angas

Barossa

Burnside

Burra

Chaffey

Edwardstown

Enfield

Eyre

Flinders

Frome

Gawler

Glenelg

Gouger

Gumeracha

Hindmarsh

Light

Millicent

Mitcham

Mount Gambier

Murray

Norwood

Onkaparinga

Port Adelaide

Port Pirie

Ridley

Rocky River

Semaphore

Stirling

Stuart

Torrens

Unley

Victoria

Wallaroo

West Torrens

Whyalla

Yorke Peninsula

See also

References