| Election Name: | 1856 Tasmanian colonial elections |
| Country: | Tasmania |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Vote Type: | Popular |
| Election Date: | 8–22 September (House of Assembly) 6–17 October (Legislative Council) |
| Next Election: | 1861 Tasmanian colonial elections |
| Next Year: | 1861 |
| Image1: | WTN Champ.jpg |
| Leader1: | William Champ |
| Premier | |
| Posttitle: | Premier after election |
| After Election: | William Champ |
The 1856 Tasmanian colonial elections took place from 8 to 22 September 1856 (for the House of Assembly) and 6 to 17 October 1856 (for the Legislative Council). The elections were the first to be held under the Electoral Act 1856, which established responsible government in Tasmania (until 1 January 1856 called Van Diemen's Land) and created a bicameral parliament consisting of the 30-member Tasmanian House of Assembly and the 15-member Tasmanian Legislative Council.
Members were elected using first-past-the-post voting. Following the election, William Champ became the first Premier of Tasmania on 1 November 1856, but his government lasted only 117 days.
Elections for members of the House of Assembly took place between 8 and 22 September 1856. Members were elected from single-member 24 single-member divisions, while Hobart Town returned 5 members and Launceston returned 3 members. 16 members were elected unopposed, while the other members were elected using first-past-the-post voting.
| Electoral district | Seats | Date | Elected[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | 3 | 8 September | John Rogers, Adye Douglas, William Champ | |
| Clarence | 1 | 15 September | Edward Abbott | |
| Hobart Town | 5 | 15 September | Thomas Chapman, Maxwell Miller, Francis Smith, Robert Nutt, James Dunn | |
| Queenborough | 1 | 15 September | Duncan McPherson | |
| Campbell Town | 1 | 16 September | William Race Allison | |
| Cumberland | 1 | 16 September | Thomas Gellibrand | |
| Glenorchy | 1 | 16 September | Robert Officer (unopposed) | |
| Norfolk Plains | 1 | 16 September | John Gregson (unopposed) | |
| Sorell | 1 | 16 September | Askin Morrison (unopposed) | |
| Fingal | 1 | 17 September | Frederick von Steiglitz (unopposed) | |
| Kingborough | 1 | 17 September | Alfred Nicholas | |
| Oatlands | 1 | 17 September | Henry Anstey (unopposed) | |
| Ringwood | 1 | 17 September | William Weston (unopposed) | |
| Brighton | 1 | 18 September | Henry Butler (unopposed) | |
| Franklin | 1 | 18 September | William Crooke (unopposed) | |
| George Town | 1 | 18 September | Charles Henty (unopposed) | |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 18 September | Charles Meredith (unopposed) | |
| Morven | 1 | 18 September | Frederick Innes (unopposed) | |
| New Norfolk | 1 | 19 September | Michael Fenton (unopposed) | |
| Richmond | 1 | 19 September | Thomas Gregson | |
| Selby | 1 | 19 September | Ronald Gunn (unopposed) | |
| Westbury | 1 | 19 September | Thomas Field (unopposed) | |
| Deloraine | 1 | 20 September | Adolphus Rooke (unopposed) | |
| Devon | 1 | 22 September | James Gibson (unopposed) |