title: 1969 Lake Macquarie state by-election
text: # 1969 Lake Macquarie state by-election
  
  A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Lake Macquarie on 19 April 1969. It was triggered by the death of Jim Simpson (Labor).
  
  ## Dates
  
  | Date | Event |
  | - | - |
  | 10 December 1968 | Death of Jim Simpson. |
  | 10 March 1969 | Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. |
  | 24 March 1969 | Day of nomination |
  | 19 April 1969 | Polling day |
  | 2 May 1969 | Return of writ |
  
  ## Results
  
  1969 Lake Macquarie by-election Saturday 14 February :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labor | Merv Hunter | 13,252 | 64.1 | -0.4 |
  | | Liberal | Edwin Chiplin | 6,071 | 29.3 | -6.3 |
  | | Independent | Thomas Pendlebury | 1,072 | 5.2 | |
  | | Independent | Colin Fisher | 296 | 1.4 | |
  | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 20,691 | 98.4 | +0.7 |
  | Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 335 | 1.6 | -0.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,026 | 89.0 | -5.4 |
  | | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | | |
  