Election Day in Australia

[Kingswood]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Wait, so a particular district might vote in Guy X, but then are instead told that Mr. Howard will be taking his seat and Guy X won't actually be representing them after all??

It can't happen like that. If someone wins a division (seat), they win the division. The only way that someone else can take over the division would be at a by-election.

The last time there was a by-election specifically to get a leader into the Parliament was in 1968. The Prime Minister, Harold Holt, was missing presumed drowned in late 1967, and John Gorton was elected as the Liberal Leader - and thus Prime Minister. Because he was a member of the Senate, he was constitutionally prohibited from becoming Prime Minister. To get around that difficulty, Gorton resigned from the Senate (and was replaced) and was then elected in the Division of Kooyong to replace the former member, Harold Holt (deceased).

John Howard is now out of politics. He was spotted yesterday playing a round of golf at an exclusive golf club.