A by-election was held in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland seat of Mulgrave on 5 December 1998.
[1] However, Rappolt found it difficult to cope with the pressures of public life and resigned his seat just four months into his term.
The National Party endorsed Naomi Wilson who had held the seat from 1995 to 1998 before her defeat to Rappolt at the 1998 state election.
The Labor Party preselected Warren Pitt, member for Mulgrave from 1989 to 1995 before his defeat to Wilson at the 1995 state election.
Pitt had also unsuccessfully stood for the seat at the 1998 state election, and would have won if not for Coalition preferences leaking to Rappolt.