# 1952 Victorian Legislative Council election

Elections were held in the Australian state of Victoria on Saturday 21 June 1952 to elect 17 of the 34 members of the state's Legislative Council for six year terms. MLCs were elected in single-member provinces using preferential voting.
The election was the first following the abolition of property qualifications for voting in the Legislative Council, and saw a large increase in the number of Labor MLCs.

## Results
### Legislative Council

Victorian Legislative Council election, 21 June 1952 Legislative Council
<< 1949–1955 >> :
| Enrolled voters | Enrolled voters | 1,395,460 | | | | |
| Votes cast | Votes cast | 994,192 | | Turnout | 71.2 | +23.3 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | 22,595 | | Informal | 2.3 | +0.8 |
| Summary of votes by party |||||||
| Party | Party | Primary votes | % | Swing | Seats won | Seats held |
| | Liberal and Country | 361,733 | 37.2 | −5.9 | 1 | 10 |
| | Labor | 361,013 | 37.2 | +15.2 | 11 | 15 |
| | Country | 106,864 | 11.0 | −17.4 | 4 | 8 |
| | Other | 141,987 | 14.6 | +7.0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 971,597 | | | 17 | 34 |

## Retiring Members
### Labor

* William Beckett MLC (Melbourne)
* Pat Kennelly MLC (Melbourne West)

### Liberal and Country

* Sir William Angliss MLC (Southern)
* Sir Frank Beaurepaire MLC (Monash)
* Allan McDonald MLC (South Western)

## Candidates

Sitting members are shown in bold text. Successful candidates are highlighted in the relevant colour. Where there is possible confusion, an asterisk (*) is also used.
| Province | Held by | Labor candidates | LCP candidates | Country candidates | Other candidates |
| Ballarat | LCP | Jack Jones | James Kittson | | |
| Bendigo | LCP | Arthur Smith | Sir George Lansell | | |
| Doutta Galla | Labor | Paul Jones | | | |
| East Yarra | LCP | | George Hannan | | Sir Clifden Eager (Ind) |
| Gippsland | Country | Henry Harvey | Mac Steward | Trevor Harvey | |
| Higinbotham | LCP | | Arthur Warner | | Grace Stratton (Ind) |
| Melbourne | Labor | Pat Sheehy | | | |
| Melbourne North | Labor | Archibald Fraser | | | |
| Melbourne West | Labor | Bert Bailey | | | Alexander Dobbin (CPA) |
| Monash | LCP | Thomas Brennan | Alfred Wilde | | |
| Northern | Country | | Wollaston Heily | Dudley Walters | |
| North Eastern | Country | | Robert Vroland | Ivan Swinburne | |
| North Western | Country | | Robert Linton | Percy Byrnes | |
| Southern | LCP | Roy Rawson | Albert Pennell | | Harold Harvie (Ind) |
| South Eastern | LCP | George Tilley | John Rossiter | | Cyril Isaac (Ind) |
| South Western | LCP | Don Ferguson | Edward Montgomery | | Keith McGarvie (Ind) |
| Western | Country | David Arnott | Robert Rankin | Ernest Walliker | |

## Results by province
### Ballarat

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Ballarat Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jack Jones | 30,431 | 58.4 | +58.4 |
| | Liberal and Country | James Kittson | 21,712 | 41.6 | −7.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 52,143 | 99.2 | +0.6 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 436 | 0.8 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,579 | 94.8 | +10.8 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |

### Bendigo

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Bendigo Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Arthur Smith | 30,240 | 55.6 | +55.6 |
| | Liberal and Country | George Lansell | 24,186 | 44.4 | −17.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 54,426 | 99.2 | +0.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 433 | 0.8 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,859 | 94.4 | +10.5 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |

### Doutta Galla

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Doutta Galla Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Paul Jones | unopposed | | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | | |

### East Yarra

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: East Yarra Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Clifden Eager | 62,120 | 57.9 | +57.9 |
| | Liberal and Country | George Hannan | 45,243 | 42.1 | N/A |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 107,363 | 95.8 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 4,725 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 112,088 | 91.6 | |
| | Independent gain from Liberal and Country | Independent gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |

### Gippsland

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Gippsland Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Henry Harvey | 26,958 | 46.0 | +46.0 |
| | Country | Trevor Harvey | 18,233 | 31.1 | −28.2 |
| | Liberal and Country | Mac Steward | 13,379 | 22.8 | −17.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 58,570 | 98.8 | +0.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 799 | 1.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,369 | 91.2 | +12.0 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Country | Trevor Harvey | 30,005 | 51.2 | −8.1 |
| | Labor | Henry Harvey | 28,565 | 48.8 | +48.8 |
| | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Higinbotham

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Higinbotham Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal and Country | Arthur Warner | 59,957 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Grace Stratton | 42,174 | 41.3 | +41.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 102,131 | 97.2 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,941 | 2.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 105,072 | 90.2 | |
| | Liberal and Country hold | Liberal and Country hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Melbourne

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Melbourne Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Pat Sheehy | unopposed | | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | | |

### Melbourne North

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Melbourne North Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Archibald Fraser | unopposed | | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | | |

### Melbourne West

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Melbourne West Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Bert Bailey | 80,862 | 88.8 | N/A |
| | Communist | Alexander Dobbin | 10,253 | 11.2 | +11.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 91,115 | 95.5 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 4,258 | 4.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 95,373 | 91.7 | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Monash

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Monash Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Thomas Brennan | 53,716 | 53.1 | +53.1 |
| | Liberal and Country | Alfred Wilde | 47,404 | 46.9 | −11.5 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 101,120 | 98.4 | +1.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,631 | 1.6 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 102,751 | 89.7 | +20.3 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |

### Northern

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Northern Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Country | Dudley Walters | 26,905 | 59.3 | +8.1 |
| | Liberal and Country | Wollaston Heily | 18,436 | 40.7 | −8.1 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 45,341 | 97.6 | −1.6 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,105 | 2.4 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,446 | 93.8 | +13.0 |
| | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | +8.1 | |

### North-Eastern

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: North-Eastern Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Country | Ivan Swinburne | 26,739 | 63.6 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal and Country | Robert Vroland | 15,306 | 36.4 | −9.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 42,045 | 97.3 | −1.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,162 | 2.7 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,207 | 92.5 | +11.8 |
| | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | +9.3 | |

### North-Western

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: North-Western Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Country | Percy Byrnes | 29,007 | 68.7 | +10.1 |
| | Liberal and Country | Robert Linton | 13,229 | 31.3 | −10.1 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 42,246 | 98.4 | −0.6 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 677 | 1.6 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,913 | 94.3 | +12.6 |
| | Country hold | Country hold | Swing | +10.1 | |

### Southern

1952 Victorian legislative council election: Southern Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Roy Rawson | 45,413 | 52.8 | +52.8 |
| | Liberal and Country | Albert Pennell | 34,143 | 39.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Harold Harvie | 6,499 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 86,056 | 98.0 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,773 | 2.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 87,829 | 92.0 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Roy Rawson | | 55.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal and Country | Albert Pennell | | 44.2 | N/A |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |
* Two party preferred vote was estimated.

### South-Eastern

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: South Eastern Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | George Tilley | 36,968 | 47.6 | +47.6 |
| | Liberal and Country | John Rossiter | 24,543 | 31.6 | −33.1 |
| | Independent | Cyril Isaac | 16,227 | 20.9 | +20.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 77,738 | 98.1 | −0.3 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,473 | 1.9 | +0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79,211 | 92.2 | +19.4 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | George Tilley | 39,217 | 50.4 | +50.4 |
| | Liberal and Country | John Rossiter | 38,521 | 49.6 | −15.1 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |
* Cyril Isaac lost his endorsement as a member of the LCP and contested the election as an Independent.

### South Western

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: South Western Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Don Ferguson | 31,657 | 51.1 | +51.1 |
| | Liberal and Country | Edward Montgomery | 25,617 | 41.3 | −10.7 |
| | Independent | Keith McGarvie | 4,721 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 61,995 | 98.9 | +0.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 675 | 1.1 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,670 | 93.7 | +15.0 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Don Ferguson | | 53.0 | +53.0 |
| | Liberal and Country | Edward Montgomery | | 47.0 | −12.4 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |
* Two party preferred vote was estimated.

### Western

1952 Victorian Legislative Council election: Western Province :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | David Arnott | 24,759 | 50.2 | +50.2 |
| | Liberal and Country | Robert Rankin | 18,579 | 37.7 | −22.1 |
| | Country | Ernest Walliker | 5,980 | 12.1 | −28.1 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 49,318 | 99.0 | −0.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 507 | 1.0 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,825 | 94.5 | +14.1 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | David Arnott | | 52.6 | +52.6 |
| | Liberal and Country | Robert Rankin | | 47.4 | −12.4 |
| | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Labor gain from Liberal and Country | Swing | N/A | |
* Two party preferred vote was estimated.