Cunningham by-election, May 2019

The Cunningham by-election, May 2019 is a by-election in the Division of Cunningham triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister Youmaton. It was held on 25 May 2019 and won by independent candidate Mad_Bear_O_Melbourne.

Candidates
5 candidates stood in the by-election. MattMonti, Youmaton's successor as leader of the Australian Labor Party and former senator, stood as the Labor candidate. Former Prime Minister notkhrushchevsghost also contested the election as the candidate for the Australian Greens, endorsed by the Socialist Party, the senior coalition partner of the Greens in government. President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Mad_Bear_O_Melbourne, ran as an independent candidate, with the slogan 'Let's Unfuck Australia'. AussieConservative, who stood in the seat in the March 2019 federal election, contested the election as the Liberal Democratic Party candidate. Plupsnup also stood as the Geoliberal candidate, which rebranded in the campaign to the Australian Whig Party. However, it was too close to the election for the necessary renaming paperwork to go through, and Plupsnup was listed on the ballot paper as the Geoliberal candidate.

Controversy
During the campaign, AussieConservative was accused of pedophilia by Socialist deputy leader PM-ME-SPRINKLES, due to an incident in the campaign where he 'winked and chuckled' and made a joke about flirting with a worker who had told him she was 17 at a Hungry Jacks in Albion Park.

Endorsements
The Guardian endorsed notkhrushchevsghost in the by-election, claiming he was "the best choice for Cunningham voters amid an uninspiring field". The Guardian claimed that "while the LDP’s offering is a deeply flawed candidate, the independent fails to inspire." They spoke about AussieConservative's support for forced labour and "a strange pie-metaphor from [AussieConservative] that ended in him asking “where’s the beef,” and shouting his name".

Results
The candidates are listed in ballot paper order.

Aftermath
Mad_Bear_O_Melbourne was sworn in as an MP on 26 May 2019. His main opponent, AussieConservative conceded the election shortly after, calling the election of his opponent "a form of protest vote to “stick it to the man”.".