Nominations: Thursday, 29 January 1981, Polling: Saturday, 21 February 1981
Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Final
%
Anthony, Michael John
Labor Party
6,805
36.95
Sullivan, John William (Elected)
National Country Party
11,614
63.05
Formal Votes
18,419
Informal Votes
165
0.89
Total Votes / Turnout
18,584
82.61
Cause Category: Resignation - Other
Notes: Sitting National Party MP Tim Fischer resigned to contest the neighbouring seat of Murray at a by-election following the death of that seat's Liberal MP Mary Meillon. Sturt had already been marked by a redistribution for abolition at the 1981 election, most of the electorate being absorbed into a re-drawn Murray.