The possibility of a resignation by Greg Wilton, ALP Member for the House of Representatives seat of Isaacs in Victoria, raises some interesting questions about the implications of a by-election during the remainder of this year.

Isaacs is an outer metropolitan electorate, won by Wilton in 1996 and retained in 1998. It includes the suburbs of Aspendale, Braeside, Carrum, Carrum Downs, Chelsea, Chelsea Heights, Cheltenham, Cranbourne, Edithvale, Lyndhurst, Mentone, Mordialloc, Parkdale, Patterson Lakes, Seaford and Skye.

In 1998 Wilton won the seat with 48.43% of the primary vote, 10% ahead of the Liberal vote. After distribution of preferences, the ALP member had 56.40%, a 4.84% swing over the 1996 result. [Read more…]