The race to change into the MP for the NSW seat of Bradfield is heading for a recount after the Liberal and teal candidates have been separated by solely eight votes within the preliminary rely.
Almost three weeks after the federal election, the seat remains to be undecided, with the lead flipping between Liberal Gisele Kapterian and unbiased Nicolette Boele because the rely progressed.
Kapterian was initially declared the winner in Bradfield by some media retailers, and was within the Liberal occasion room throughout the management contest that led to Sussan Ley be named opposition chief.
Nevertheless, a powerful unfold of postal and absentee votes to the teal unbiased prompted her to take a slim lead within the Liberal stronghold.
Boele had a lead of simply three votes early on Friday afternoon, however figures from the Australian Electoral Fee (AEC) put the two-candidate most well-liked vote at 56,190 to each in an replace simply after 4pm.
A later replace gave Kapterian a lead of simply eight votes — 56,191 to Boele’s 56,183.
“The recount will proceed in accordance with the AEC’s longstanding coverage to conduct a recount for any Home of Representatives contests the place the ultimate margin is beneath 100 votes,” the fee stated in a press release.
It stated the recount will contain a brand new rely of all first choice votes and a whole recount of the two-candidate most well-liked rely beforehand undertaken.
The recount will begin on 26 Might, the AEC stated, including that the method is predicted to take as much as two weeks.
The seat, which covers elements of Chatswood, Cammeray and St Leonards within the higher North Shore, was held by Liberal Paul Fletcher earlier than the three Might ballot.
