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2022 Bega state by-election

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← 2019

12 February 2022

2023 →

Electoral district of Bega in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Registered

58,785

Turnout

85.7%

	First party	Second party

Candidate	Michael Holland	Fiona Kotvojs
Party	Labor	Liberal
Popular vote	21,361	19,165
Percentage	43.16%	38.72%
Swing	12.57	10.18
2CP	55.06%	44.94%
2CP change	11.99	11.99

The Electoral district of Bega in New South Wales

MP before election

Andrew Constance
Liberal

Elected MP

Michael Holland
Labor

A by-election was held in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Bega in on 12 February 2022. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal MP and frontbencher Andrew Constance, who resigned to unsuccessfully contest the federal seat of Gilmore at the 2022 Australian federal election.^[1]

The Bega by-election was held on the same day as by-elections for the districts of Monaro, Strathfield and Willoughby. The writs for election were issued on 21 January 2022. Nominations for candidates closed seven days later at noon on 27 January, with the ballot paper draw commencing in the morning of 28 January.^[2]

The NSW Electoral Commission pre-emptively sent postal ballots to all voters registered on the state electoral roll, under a regulation in a COVID amendment to the Electoral Act. Postal votes will be checked against in-person voting rolls to prevent double voting. The iVote online voting system was not used at these elections after the system failed during the NSW local government elections in December 2021.^[3]

Early results showed a swing of more than 13% towards Labor in the seat, suggesting it would be won by Michael Holland, the first time the seat of Bega would be held by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since it was created in 1988. Holland claimed victory just before 9pm on election night.^[4] The Liberals' Fiona Kotvojs conceded nine days later on 21 February.^[5]

Candidates[edit]

Candidates (in ballot paper order)^[6]
Party		Candidate	Background	Notes
	Independent	Jeffrey Hawkins
	Sustainable Australia	Karin Geiselhart
	Independent	Ursula Bennett
	Labor	Michael Holland	Obstetrician and gynaecologist	^[7]
	Greens	Peter Haggar	Cafe owner	^[7]
	Shooters, Fishers and Farmers	Victor Hazir
	Liberal	Fiona Kotvojs	Business owner and farmer	^[7]

Results[edit]

2022 Bega state by-election ^[8]^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Michael Holland	21,361	43.16	+12.57
	Liberal	Fiona Kotvojs	19,165	38.72	−10.18
	Greens	Peter Haggar	3,453	6.98	–2.78
	Shooters, Fishers, Farmers	Victor Hazir	2,312	4.67	−1.79
	Independent	Jeffrey Hawkins	1,379	2.79	+2.79
	Sustainable Australia	Karin Geiselhart	1,011	2.04	+2.04
	Independent	Ursula Bennett	811	1.64	+1.64
Total formal votes			49,492	98.25	+1.07
Informal votes			884	1.75	−1.07
Turnout			50,376	85.70	−4.06
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Michael Holland	24,837	55.06	+11.99
	Liberal	Fiona Kotvojs	20,269	44.94	−11.99
	Labor gain from Liberal		Swing	+11.99

References[edit]

^ "Labor wins seat of Gilmore, no more lower house seats in doubt". ABC News. 31 May 2022.

^ "Bega State by-election". NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 11 February 2022.

^ Green, Antony (10 February 2022). "Antony Green explains how living with COVID could affect elections, starting tomorrow". ABC News. Retrieved 11 February 2022.

^ Stuart, Riley (12 February 2022). "NSW by-elections a 'huge disappointment' for Liberals as Labor claims Bega and Nationals hold Monaro". ABC News. Retrieved 13 February 2022.

^ Reardon, Adriane; Proust, Keira (21 February 2022). "Liberals candidate Fiona Kotvojs concedes defeat in Bega state by-election". ABC News (Australia). Archived from the original on 21 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.

^ "Nominated candidates for the 2022 Bega state by-election". NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 January 2022.

^ ^a ^b ^c "Bega By-election". abc.net.au. Retrieved 13 October 2021.

^ "First Preference Votes Report". Bega State By-Election 12-FEB-2022. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 February 2022.

^ "Two Candidate Preferred Report Parliamentary Election: Bega". Bega State By-Election 12-FEB-2022. New South Wales Electoral Commission. Retrieved 28 February 2022.