A by-election was held in the Tasmanian Legislative Council division of Pembroke on 1 August 2009.^[1] It was triggered by the resignation of sitting member Allison Ritchie.

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2009 Pembroke state by-election

1 August 2009

First party Second party   IND Candidate Vanessa Goodwin Richard James Party Liberal Independent First preference vote 7,812 2,285 Percentage 38.55% 11.28% Swing 38.55pp 7.10pp Three-candidate-preferred 51.05% 27.73%   Third party Fourth party   GRN IND Candidate Wendy Heatley Honey Bacon Party Greens Independent First preference vote 2,604 2,110 Percentage 12.85% 10.41% Swing 0.56pp 10.41pp Three-candidate-preferred 21.22% Eliminated

MLC before election Allison Ritchie Labor Elected MLC Vanessa Goodwin Liberal

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Ritchie was first elected to the Legislative Council in 2001 at the age of 26, the youngest person ever elected to that chamber. She spent nine and a half weeks as Minister for Planning and Workplace Relations in 2008, but resigned due to ill health.^[2] She announced her resignation from parliament amid allegations of nepotism on 20 June 2009.^[3]

The writ for the by-election was issued on 30 June 2009; nominations closed on 9 July.^[1] The eight candidates were:

• Independent — Honey Bacon, widow of former Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon.
• Independent — Peter Cooper, a Clarence City Alderman (2008–present).
• Independent — James Crotty, former Labor candidate and considered the unofficial representative of the Government.^[4]
• Liberal Party — Vanessa Goodwin, a 39-year-old lawyer and criminologist, was previously the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Franklin in 2006 and the federal candidate for the equivalent seat in 2007, achieving a rare swing to the Liberal Party.
• Tasmanian Greens — Wendy Heatley, a 46-year-old lawyer.
• Independent — Richard James, a Clarence City Alderman( 1984–89, 1994–present). James previously contested Pembroke in 1995, 1999 and 2007.
• Independent — John Peers, a Clarence City Alderman (1994–present).
• Independent — Kit (Sharon) Soo, a public relations consultant.