| Election Name: | 1974 Australian Capital Territory election |
| Country: | Australian Capital Territory |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1970 Australian Capital Territory election |
| Previous Year: | 1970 |
| Next Election: | 1979 Australian Capital Territory election |
| Next Year: | 1979 |
| Election Date: | 28 September 1974 |
| Turnout: | 92.0% |
| Leader1: | Jim Leedman |
| Party1: | Liberal Party of Australia (Australian Capital Territory Division) |
| Leaders Seat1: | Canberra (won seat) |
| Percentage1: | 30.8% |
| Swing1: | 17.3 |
| Seats1: | 7 |
| Leader2: | Gordon Walsh[1] |
| Party2: | Australian Labor Party (Australian Capital Territory Branch) |
| Leaders Seat2: | Canberra (won seat) |
| Percentage2: | 22.2% |
| Swing2: | 6.0 |
| Seats2: | 4 |
| Image3: | AUS |
| Party3: | Australia Party |
| Color3: | FECC2E |
| Leaders Seat3: | Fraser (won seat) |
| Percentage3: | 4.6% |
| Seats3: | 1 |
The 1974 Australian Capital Territory election was held on 28 September 1974 to elect all 18 members of the Legislative Assembly, the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). This was the first election for the Assembly, replacing the Advisory Council, although elected members did not start sitting until 1975.[2]
The election saw a swing of almost 20% towards the Liberal Party, while Labor lost around 6% of its vote compared to the 1970 Advisory Council election.[2]
As preparations were still being made for the granting of self-government to the ACT, the House served a largely advisory role, with most powers over the ACT still lying in the hands of the relevant federal minister through the life of the Assembly.[3]
Nine members were elected by single transferable vote proportional representation from each of the ACT's two federal House of Representatives divisions, making 18 in total. Independent members who vacated mid-term were replaced by recounting their original votes to their next preferences to choose a runner-up. Members endorsed by a political party were replaced by a nominee of that party.
| Votes | % | Swing | Seats | Change | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | 30.8 | +17.3 | 7 | |||||
| Labor | 22.2 | −6.0 | 4 | |||||
| Australia | 4.6 | 2 | ||||||
| ACT Women Voters | 0 | |||||||
| Independents | 5 | |||||||
| Formal votes | 93.0 | |||||||
| Informal votes | 7.0 | |||||||
| Total | 100.0 | |||||||
| Registered voters / turnout | 92.0 | |||||||
| Electorate | Seats held | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | |||||||||
| Fraser | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | width=20 | |||||||||
| Labor | ||
| width=20 | Liberal | |
| Australia | ||
| Independent | ||