1953 South Australian state election


State elections were held in South Australia on 7 March 1953. All 39 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Liberal and Country League led by Premier of South Australia Thomas Playford IV defeated the Australian Labor Party led by Leader of the Opposition Mick O'Halloran.

Background

Labor won three seats, metropolitan Norwood and Prospect and rural Victoria from the LCL. The LCL won one seat, rural Murray from Labor. Neither major party contested the independent-held seat of Ridley.
The Labor opposition won 53 percent of the statewide two-party vote, but the LCL retained government with the assistance of the Playmander − an electoral malapportionment that also saw a clear majority of the statewide two-party vote won by Labor while failing to form government in 1944, 1962 and 1968.

Post-election pendulum

Labor seats ---
Marginal---
VictoriaJim CorcoranALP0.8%
ProspectJoe JenningsALP3.4%
Fairly safe---
NorwoodDon DunstanALP6.3%
Safe---
StanleyPercy QuirkeALP11.9%
GoodwoodFrank WalshALP13.1%
GawlerJohn ClarkALP27.1% v IND
SemaphoreHarold TappingALP37.6% v IND
AdelaideSam LawnALP39.5% v COM
StuartLindsay RichesALP39.8% v COM
Port AdelaideJames StephensALP41.9% v COM
Port PirieCharles DavisALPundistributed
FromeMick O'HalloranALPunopposed
HindmarshCyril HutchensALPunopposed
ThebartonFred WalshALPunopposed
WallarooHughie McAleesALPunopposed
Crossbench seats ---
Mount GambierJohn FletcherIND4.3% v ALP
ChaffeyWilliam MacGillivrayIND19.1% v LCL
RidleyTom StottIND27.8% v IND