2026 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election
2 May 2026
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2 of the 15 seats in the Legislative Council 8 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2026 Tasmanian Legislative Council periodic election is scheduled to be held on 2 May 2026 to elect two members of the Tasmanian Legislative Council. The seats of Huon and Rosevears will be up for election.[1]
Independent MLC for Huon, Dean Harriss, won the seat at a 2022 by-election, and will have the first opportunity to recontest the seat.[2]
Liberal MLC for Rosevears, Jo Palmer, will also be recontesting for the first time, after winning the seat at the 2020 election.[3]
Huon
Huon is an electorate in Tasmania's south, covering areas nearby Hobart including Huonville and Margate. Since the 2022 by-election, Huon has been held by independent Dean Harriss.[2]
On 8 November 2025 Clare Glade-Wright the deputy mayor of Kingborough Council announced she would contest Huon.[4] On 11 January 2026, Labor Party leader Josh Willie announced that pepper berry farmer and Hobart City Council worker Abby McKibben would be Labor's candidate.[5] On 21 February 2026 the Tasmanian Greens announced that Paul Gibson, the partner of Tasmanian Green leader Rosalie Woodruff and Huon Valley councillor, was announced as the Greens candidate.[6][7]
Rosevears
Rosevears is an electorate in Tasmania's north, covering the west bank of the Tamar River, including parts of Launceston. Since the 2020 election, Rosevears has been held by Liberal Jo Palmer.[3]
On 19 January 2026, Labor Party leader Josh Willie announced that teacher Ben Mckinnon would be Labor's candidate.[8] On 22 February 2026 the Tasmanian Greens announced that lawyer Charlene McLennan would be the Greens candidate.[9]
References
- ^ "About Legislative Council elections". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. 2025. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Parliament of Tasmania - Dean Andrew Harriss". Parliament of Tasmania. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Parliament of Tasmania - Joanne Lesley Palmer". Parliament of Tasmania. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
- ^ "Glade-Wright Runs For Huon On Scrutiny, Stadium & Salmon". Tasmanian Times. 8 November 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Labor unveils Huon upper house candidate Abby McKibben". Pulse Tasmania. 11 January 2026. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Paul Gibson". Tasmanian Greens. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ "Paul Gibson announced as Greens candidate in 2026 Huon Legislative Council election". The Mercury. 21 February 2026. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ^ "Labor picks teacher to challenge for upper house seat". Pulse Tasmania. 19 January 2026. Retrieved 25 January 2026.
- ^ "Charlene McLennan". Tasmanian Greens. Retrieved 25 February 2026.