Nunawading state by-election, 1985

The Nunawading Province by-election of 1985 was a by-election in the Nunawading Province for the Victorian Legislative Council held on 17 August 1985. It was ordered by the Court of Disputed Returns after it found that the Chief Electoral Officer drew a name at random when the Victorian state election, 1985 had resulted in a dead heat between the top two candidates. The Chief Electoral Officer had drawn the name of the ALP candidate. After the Court ordered a new election, the outcome was that the Liberal candidate Rosemary Varty was returned.

In 1985, the Legislative Council consisted of 44 members. They were elected for 8-year terms from 22 two-member provinces. Half of the Council retired every four years, so each election elected one member in each province. The Nunawading Province consisted of the Victorian Legislative Assembly seats of Box Hill, Mitcham, Ringwood and Warrandyte. Lawrence Alexander McArthur was the continuing member for Nunawading Province.

In the 1985 general election held on 2 March 1985, the vote ended with a dead heat after distribution of preferences from the Australian Democrats candidate. The Labor candidate Bob Ives and the Liberal candidate Rosemary Varty received 54,821 votes each. The returning officer, Kathleen Leonard, was required by law to make a casting vote, which she did by drawing a name from a ballot box. The name drawn was Bob Ives and he was declared elected.The Age described the result as "the most sensational electoral finish in memory". Electing Ives to the Legislative Council would give the ALP control of the house, however the Court of Disputed Returns voided the result before he could take his seat.

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