1902 Tasmania by-election

Results

|reg. electors = 39,762

Aftermath

William Hartnoll was elected in the by-election, receiving nearly 58 per cent of the vote. When opposition leader George Reid received a telegram from the Freetrade Association of Launceston informing him of Hartnoll's impending victory, he proclaimed "Thanks! Hartnoll's triumph overshadows the inevitable fate of the Barton ministry."

Hartnoll's election was not without controversy. Under Tasmanian law, nominations from candidates were required to be signed by the candidate himself. Hartnoll's nomination paper was received and accepted by the Commonwealth electoral officer via telegram, and was not signed. J.C. Whitelaw, one of Hartnoll's opponents in the by-election, challenged the election on legal grounds, and instructed his solicitors in Melbourne to lodge a petition and a deposit of £100 to the Supreme Court of Tasmania. The petition was referred by the Prime Minister Edmund Barton to the Elections and Qualifications Committee of the House of Representatives. After hearing the evidence, committee chair Sir Edward Braddon announced that the committee had found that Hartnoll had "committed an irregularity" by nominating via telegram, but that it was not considered a sufficient reason for disturbing the election.

References

References

1. (28 March 1902). "The Tasmanian Election". Western Mail.
2. (21 April 1902). "Mr. Hartnoll's Seat – Petition by Mr. Whitelaw". The Examiner.
3. (30 May 1902). "The Disputed Tasmanian Election – Finding of the Committee". The Advertiser.