A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Albury on Saturday 9 November 1946.
[1] It was triggered by the resignation of the former Premier of New South Wales and second Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Alexander Mair, in order to run for a seat in the Australian Senate.
Following the electoral defeat in 1941, Mair played a central role in the negotiations to merge the conservative parties to form Robert Menzies' newly created Liberal Party of Australia, becoming a delegate for the Canberra Conference in October 1944 and hosting the second party conference in his seat in Albury at Mate's Department Store.
[2] Serving on the Liberals' New South Wales executive from 1945 to 1946, when first party leader Weaver died suddenly on 12 November 1945, Mair was chosen to succeed him.
[2] At the 1946 federal election held on 28 September, Mair was unsuccessful with the Labor Party winning all three NSW seats.