A large swathe of central Victoria has remained red following the state election, with incumbent Labor MPs for Bendigo East and West, Jacinta Allan and Maree Edwards, claiming decisive victories on Saturday.
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A breakdown of first preference votes from the electorates’ voting centres reveals where the two politicians gained the most support, where competing candidates found traction, and what parties gained the votes that could earn them seats in the upper house.
How did people vote in the lower house?
Ms Edwards’ first preference votes got her over the line conclusively in Bendigo West, where the incumbent MP attracted 54 per cent of first preferences.
She gained the most first preference votes of the four candidates in all 26 of the district’s voting centres.
The candidate with the second-highest proportion of first preferences in Bendigo West was Liberal Kevin Finn, at more than 27 per cent, followed by Greens’ candidate Laurie Whelan and Marilyn Nuske from the Animal Justice Party.
It was voters at Specimen Hill who showed Ms Edwards the most support, with 63 per cent putting her down as their first preference.
The tightest competition for Ms Edwards came in Maldon – she got a little over 30 per cent of first preferences, while Mr Finn claimed more than 25 per cent.
On a two-candidate preferred basis, Ms Edwards attracted almost 69 per cent of preferred votes in Bendigo West, compared to Liberal Mr Finn’s 31 per cent.
It was a slightly closer race in Bendigo East, where Jacinta Allan collected just shy of 51 per cent of first preference votes.
Liberal candidate Ian Ellis came in second with 20.5 per cent of the first preferences, followed by the Nationals’ Gaelle Broad, Greens hopeful Nakita Thomson, Democratic Labour Party’s Helen Leach, and independent Michael Belardinelli.
Almost every voting centre in Bendigo East saw Ms Allan attract the most first preference votes of the six candidates.
Proportionally, voters showed the most support at Eaglehawk North, giving her almost 58 per cent of their first preferences.
But at Dingee and Serpentine, it was the Nationals’ Ms Broad who gained the greatest number.
At those voting centres she collected 53 per cent and 45 per cent of first preferences respectively, compared to Ms Allen’s 42 per cent and 23 per cent.
On a two-candidate basis, Ms Allan was the preferred candidate for Bendigo East against Liberal Mr Ellis, at 62 per cent to 38 per cent.
How did people vote in the upper house?
As of Monday, Labor had 32 per cent of first preference votes for the upper house in Northern Victoria, the most of any party.
The Liberal and Nationals coalition’s proportion of first preferences stood at 31 per cent.
Among the other parties, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Victoria attracted a little over 8 per cent of the first preference vote, followed by the Greens with 6.75 per cent.
Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party attracted almost 4.5 per cent of the first preference votes.
Bendigo West was again all red, with each of the district’s voting centres giving Labor the most first preference votes.
For most centres, it was the Coalition that attracted the second-highest number of first preferences.
But the Greens came in behind Labor in Castlemaine, Castlemaine North, Chewton, Guildford, Ironbark and Winters Flat.
The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and the Greens mostly fell in third place when it came to first preferences.
But in Bendigo West, the Animal Justice Party attracted a few more first preferences than the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers at Castlemaine and Castlemaine North.
The Liberal Democrats, Labour DLP and Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party also polled comparatively well in some centres, including Bendigo Central, Eaglehawk West, Ironbark, Sandhurst and Sparrowhawk.
Most voting centres in Bendigo East also gave Labor the most first preference votes, although a few – Dingee, Elmore, Junortoun and Serpentine – had the Coalition in front.
Labor came in second in terms of first preferences at those centres, while it was the Coalition immediately behind Labor in the other centres.
It was either the Greens or Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party who came in behind the major parties at each of the Bendigo East’s voting centres.
Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party claimed the fourth-highest number of first preferences at Bendigo Central and Strath Hill.
The Animal Justice Party picked up votes at Woodvale and Strathdale, and the Liberal Democrats at Dingee and Elmore.
Despite promising to fight for more state government attention in Northern Victoria, Tatura-based Hudson for Northern Victoria failed to gain traction in Bendigo East or Bendigo West, often tallying the lowest number of first preference votes in the districts’ voting centres.
Sustainable Australia, Victorian Socialists and Transport Matters were among the other parties that saw few first preference votes.
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How does this compare to 2014?
At the 2014 election, Ms Allan gained 46 per cent of first preference votes, with Liberal Greg Bickley on 41 per cent.
On a two-candidate basis, she was the preferred candidate at 55 per cent to Mr Bickley’s 45 per cent.
In that election, Ms Edwards attracted almost 48 per cent of first preferences, and on the two-candidate basis, 62 per cent of votes against Liberal Michael Langdon.
Liberal Wendy Lovell was the first member of the Legislative Council elected for Northern Victoria, followed by Labor’s Steven Herbert, the Nationals’ Damien Drum, Shooters and Fishers’ Daniel Young, and Labor’s Jaclyn Symes.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
