Lawrence O'Hara Labor John Birt Labor The July 1919 Paddington state by-election was held on 26 July 1919 to elect the member for Paddington in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the death of Labor Party MP Lawrence O'Hara.

[2][3] O'Hara had been elected just 21 days prior to his death at the May 1919 Paddington by-election.

[4][5] He had not yet been sworn in as an MP and was attending the Labor conference the week before his death, but after leaving the conference he came down with influenza amid a global pandemic and died several days later.

[6][7] The July by-election was won by Labor's John Birt with a swing of 30% against an Australian Socialist Party candidate and an independent.

[8][9] Additionally, the Nationalist Party was expected to contest again (having received 22.1% of the vote at the May by-election) but this did not eventuate, with the party citing the circumstances of the by-election as its reason for not running.