1998 Tasmanian state election

← 1996 29 August 1998 2002 →
All 25 seats to the House of Assembly 13 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   ALP LIB Leader Jim Bacon Tony Rundle Christine Milne Party Labor Liberal Greens Leader since 14 April 1997 18 March 1996 1993 Leader's seat Denison Braddon Lyons (lost seat) Last election 14 seats 16 seats 4 seats Seats won 14 10 1 Seat change 6 3 Popular vote 131,981 112,146 30,008 Percentage 44.79% 38.06% 10.18% Swing 4.32 3.14 0.96
Primary vote by division
Premier before election Tony Rundle Liberal Elected Premier Jim Bacon Labor

The 1998 Tasmanian state election was held on Saturday, 29 August 1998 in the Australian state of Tasmania to elect 25 members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The number of members was reduced from 35 to 25. The election used the Hare-Clark proportional representation system^[1]—five members were elected from each of five electorates. The quota required for election increased from 12.5% to 16.7%.

This election saw the end of two years of a Liberal minority government headed by Premier Tony Rundle, supported by the Tasmanian Greens. The Labor Party won government in its own right for the first time since 1979, with Jim Bacon as premier.

Labor retained all their seats despite the reduction in numbers. The Liberals lost six seats. The Greens' representation was reduced from four members to one—Peg Putt in Denison.

Results

Summary of the Results of the 1998 Tasmanian state election, House of Assembly

Party		Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Labor	131,981	44.79	4.32	14
	Liberal	112,146	38.06	3.14	10	6
	Greens	30,008	10.18	0.96	1	3
	Tasmania First	15,017	5.10	5.10	0
	Democrats	2,627	0.89	0.15	0
	Democratic Socialist	102	0.03	0.03	0
	Independents	2,797	0.95	2.54	0	1
Total		294,678	100.00	–	25	–
Valid votes		294,678	96.09
Invalid/blank votes		11,977	3.91	1.49
Total votes		306,655	100.00	–
Registered voters/turnout		322,754	95.01	0.97

Distribution of seats