1994 Torrens state by-election
# 1994 Torrens state by-election

The 1994 Torrens state by-election was a by-election held on 7 May 1994 for the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Torrens, centred in the inner north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. This was triggered by the death of Liberal MHA Joe Tiernan on 31 March 1994, only four months after winning the seat at its first contest in the 1993 state election on a two-party vote of 56.22 percent.

## Timeline

### 31 March 1994

Tiernan died, vacating the seat of Torrens.

### 10 April 1994

Writ of election issued by Speaker of the House of Assembly.

### 22 April 1994, at noon

Close of nominations and ballot paper order draw conducted.

### 7 May 1994

Polling day, between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

## Results

The Democrats, Call to Australia, and Natural Law, who contested the previous election and gained 9.7 percent, 2.6 percent, and 1.9 percent respectively, did not contest the by-election. Labor won the seat from the Liberals.

Torrens by-election, 7 May 1994 :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Labor | Robyn Geraghty | 8,261 | 47.14 | +11.66 |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ernst | 7,785 | 44.42 | -3.98 |
| | HEMP | Dave Sag | 459 | 2.62 | +2.62 |
| | Independent (No Mining in National Parks) | Scott Wilson | 336 | 1.92 | +1.92 |
| | Grey Power | William Patrick | 224 | 1.28 | +1.28 |
| | Independent (Christians for Law and Order) | Robert Payne | 214 | 1.22 | +1.22 |
| | Independent | Bernhard Cotton | 166 | 0.95 | +0.95 |
| | Independent (Smokers' Rights) | Dorothy Bremert | 79 | 0.45 | +0.45 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 17,524 | 95.78 | -0.10 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 773 | 4.22 | +0.10 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,297 | 85.34 | -8.89 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Robyn Geraghty | 9,185 | 52.41 | +8.63 |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ernst | 8,339 | 47.59 | -8.63 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal | Labor gain from Liberal | Swing | +8.63 | |
