1946 Albury state by-election

Background

The seat of Albury, a traditionally safe Liberal seat, was held since 1932 by Alexander Mair, who after serving as a cabinet minister rose to become Premier of the state from 1939 to 1941. Following the electoral defeat in 1941, Mair played a central role in the negotiations to merge the conservative parties to form Robert Menzies' newly created Liberal Party of Australia, becoming a delegate for the Canberra Conference in October 1944 and hosting the second party conference in his seat in Albury at Mate's Department Store. Despite initial efforts to merge the Democratic Party with the Liberal Democratic Party becoming deadlocked over questions of party organisation and by acrimony between Weaver and the LDP leader, Ernest K White, they were ultimately successful and the Liberal party was born in early 1945. Serving on the Liberals' New South Wales executive from 1945 to 1946, when first party leader Weaver died suddenly on 12 November 1945, Mair was chosen to succeed him.

He served as the second Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party only briefly until he resigned as leader on 21 March 1946, being succeeded by his former Minister for Justice, Vernon Treatt. On 14 August 1946, after serving fourteen years in the New South Wales Parliament, Mair resigned his seat to run for a seat in the Australian Senate.

Results

Saturday 9 November

The Liberal candidate, Ernest Atkinson, was excluded on the first count. The Labor candidate John Hurley picked up 15% of the Liberal preferences which was enough to defeat the Country Party candidate, Alfred TownsendAlexander Mair () resigned to unsuccessfully contest a seat in the Australian Senate at the 1946 federal election.

References

References

1. Clune, David. (2006). "The Premiers of New South Wales 1856–2005". Federation Press.
2. "1946 Senate - New South Wales". Psephos: Adam Carr's Election Archive.
3. (1944). "1946 results Albury by-election".