2025 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election explained

The 2025 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election is scheduled to be held on 3 May 2025 to elect three members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council. The seats of Montgomery, Nelson and Pembroke will be up for election.^[1]

Background

Unlike other Australian state parliaments, the Tasmanian House of Assembly is elected from multi-member districts, while the Legislative Council is elected from single-member districts.^[2] The reverse is the case in most of the rest of Australia; that is, the lower house is elected from single-member districts while the upper house is elected from multi-member districts.^[2]

The Legislative Council has 15 seats, with members elected to a six-year term.^[3] Elections are staggered, alternating between three seats in one year and in two seats the next year, taking place on the first Saturday in May.^{[2] [3]}

Tasmanian's upper house is unique in Australian politics, in that historically it is the only chamber in any state parliament to be significantly non-partisan.^{[4] [5]} As of 2024, the chamber has a plurality of independents, although it has previously had an outright independent majority.^{[6] [7]}

Electoral system

Legislative Council elections use partial preferential voting and the Robson Rotation.^[8] In elections with four or less candidates, full preferential voting is effectively used, but for seats with five or more candidates, voters only have to number at least three boxes.^{[9] [10]}

• Where there are more than 3 candidates, at least number 1, 2 and 3
• Where there are 3 candidates, at least number 1 and 2
• Where there are 2 candidates, at least number 1

Montgomery

The seat of Montgomery in northwest Tasmania has been held by Leonie Hiscutt of the Liberal Party since 2013; she announced on 16 May 2024 that she would not seek re-election.^[11] Hiscutt's son Casey Hiscutt a Central Coast councillor announced on the same day he would run as an independent and was endorsed by her.^[12] The former Senator for Tasmania and President of the Senate Stephen Parry was announced on 15 June 2024 as the Liberal Party candidate.^[13] On 23 August 2024 Gatty Burnett stated she planned to run for the seat, as apart of a new political party called 'Tasmanians Now'.^[14]

Nelson

The seat of Nelson, based in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, has been held by independent member Meg Webb since 2019. Butcher Marcus Vermey was announced on 23 June 2024 as the Liberal Party candidate.^[15]

Pembroke

The seat of Pembroke, based in the Tasmanian capital of Hobart, has been held by Labor Party member Luke Edmunds since 2022.

Notes and References

1. Web site: About Legislative Council elections. Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2023. 12 November 2023.
2. Web site: Raue . Ben . Tasmanian Legislative Council elections, 2024 . The Tally Room . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240823080025/https://www.tallyroom.com.au/archive/taslc2024 . 23 August 2024.
3. Web site: Bowe . William . Tasmanian upper house elections: Hobart, Prosser, Elwick . The Poll Bludger . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621181105/https://www.pollbludger.net/2024/05/03/tasmanian-upper-house-elections-hobart-prosser-elwick/ . 21 June 2024 . 3 May 2024.
4. Web site: Government and society in Tasmania . Encyclopedia Britannica . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240620111430/https://www.britannica.com/place/Tasmania/Government-and-society . 20 June 2024.
5. Web site: What is the Legislative Council? . Meg Webb MLC . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240322123814/https://megwebb.com.au/what-is-the-legislative-council/ . 22 March 2024.
6. Web site: Forbes . Scott . The apple in Val Schier’s eye: Former mayor heads to Tasmania and attempts new tilt in politics . Cairns Post . 21 October 2024 . https://archive.today/20241021010823/https://www.cairnspost.com.au/lifestyle/the-apple-in-val-schiers-eye-former-mayor-heads-to-tasmania-and-attempts-new-tilt-in-politics/news-story/1807bf2d22029b7a2fe9696745229a10?amp&nk=465ea6304f7c120d25ab7a304b60fafc-1729472912 . 21 October 2024 . 21 August 2014.
7. Web site: Crowley . Kate . Lippis . Joshua . Independents in Tasmania's Legislative Council: Analysing strategies to achieve influence . Australasian Study of Parliament Group . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240531095132/https://www.aspg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Independents-in-Tasmanias-Legislative-Council.pdf . 31 May 2024.
8. Web site: Voting systems in Tasmania - A summary . Tasmanian Electoral Commission . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240802040708/https://www.tec.tas.gov.au/info/VotingSystems.html . 2 August 2024.
9. Web site: How Should We Solve The Problem Of Unintended Informal Voting? . Dr Kevin Bonham . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240717132125/https://kevinbonham.blogspot.com/2020/07/how-should-we-solve-problem-of.html . 17 July 2024 . 23 July 2020.
10. Web site: Preferential Voting in Single Member Electorates - Tasmania . Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand . 21 October 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241004125050/https://www.ecanz.gov.au/electoral-systems/preferential/tas . 4 October 2024.
11. Web site: Hiscutt . Leonie . Statement from Leonie Hiscutt . Tasmanian Government . https://web.archive.org/web/20240516022814/https://www.premier.tas.gov.au/site_resources_2015/additional_releases/statement-from-leonie-hiscutt . 16 May 2024 . 16 May 2024.
12. News: Flint . Jess . 16 May 2024 . Family first: Hiscutt backs son's run but he's coming for the Liberals . . . 15 June 2024.
13. News: Flint . Jess . 15 June 2024 . Parry promises 'law and order' as he puts hand up for upper house seat . . . 15 June 2024.
14. News: Ford . Sean . 23 August 2024 . Lambie-baiting firebrand starting party to tackle 'Tasmania's rotten core' . . . 27 August 2024.
15. News: Bailey . Sue . 23 June 2024 . Why local butcher wants to be a Liberal politician. . . 23 June 2024.