1962 Batman by-election

A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Batman in Victoria (Australia) on 1 September 1962. It was triggered by the death of Labor MP Alan Bird.

The by-election was won by Labor candidate Sam Benson. The governing Liberal Party did not nominate a candidate, leaving the Liberal Forum, formed in opposition to Australian involvement in the Vietnam War and one of the earliest precursors to the Australia Party (itself a predecessor of the Australian Democrats), to take second place.

Results

Batman by-election, 1962

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labor	Sam Benson	21,776	60.1	+5.2
	Liberal Forum	Donald McLeod	7,026	19.4	+19.4
	Democratic Labor	Jack Little	6,811	18.8	+4.4
	Republican	John Phillips	304	0.8	+0.8
	Independent	Stirling Davis	302	0.8	+0.8
Total formal votes			36,219	97.5
Informal votes			939	2.5
Turnout			37,158	85.1
Two-party-preferred result
	Labor	Sam Benson		62.8	+7.4
	Liberal Forum	Donald McLeod		37.2	+37.2
	Labor hold		Swing	+7.4