2016 Canterbury state by-election

A by-election for the seat of Canterbury in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held on 12 November 2016. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labor MP and former interim Labor leader Linda Burney on 6 May to contest the division of Barton at the 2016 federal election.

By-elections for the seats of Orange and Wollongong were held on the same day.

Background

In its second incarnation from 1927, the electoral district of Canterbury has been held by the Labor Party, excepting between 1932 and 1935 when Edward Hocking held the seat for the United Australia Party following the Lang dismissal crisis.

Linda Burney was elected to represent Canterbury at the 2003 state election, becoming the first Aboriginal person to serve in the New South Wales Parliament. Burney was most recently re-elected to the seat at the 2015 state election with a margin of 15.7, making Canterbury a safe seat for the Labor Party. On 29 February 2016, Burney indicated that she would be seeking preselection for the federal seat of Barton in the upcoming federal election, and would resign from the assembly if successful.[1] In March, the NSW branch of the Labor Party referred the preselection decisions for the federal seats of Barton and Hunter, and Canterbury, to the party's national executive.[2] Sophie Cotsis, a member of the Legislative Council since 2010, was preselected.

Dates
Date Event
23 September 2016 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.[3]
27 October 2016 Close of nominations for candidates
12 November 2016 Polling day, between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm
25 November 2016 Return of writ

Candidates

The three candidates in ballot paper order are as follows:[4]

Candidate nominations
Party Candidate Notes (not on ballot paper)
  Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) Branka Kouroushis Migrated from Montenegro in 1992. Currently studying counselling and community service work.[5]
  The Greens Kristian Bodell Solicitor specialising in personal injury law.[5]
  Labor Sophie Cotsis Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2010 to 2016.[5]

Results
Canterbury state by-election, 2016 [6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labor Sophie Cotsis 27,993 65.5 +15.2
Christian Democrats Branka Kouroushis 8,397 19.6 +9.4
Greens Kristian Bodell 6,393 14.9 +5.3
Total formal votes 42,783 95.4 +0.2
Informal votes 2,075 4.6 −0.2
Turnout 44,858 78.5 −15.9
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Sophie Cotsis 31,866 77.8 +12.1
Christian Democrats Branka Kouroushis 9,092 22.2 +22.2
Labor hold SwingN/A

See also

References
  1. "Linda Burney seeks preselection for Federal seat". ABC News. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  2. Nicholls, Sean (2 March 2016). "Complex deal over three key seats". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. "Writ of election: Canterbury" (PDF). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (76). 23 September 2016. p. 2697. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  4. "List of Nominated Candidates". Electoral Commission NSW. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  5. ABC Elections: Canterbury By-election
  6. First Preference Votes Report Parliamentary Election: Canterbury, Electoral Commission New South Wales.
  7. Election Night TCP Results, Electoral Commission New South Wales.
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