While the Australian Labor Party celebrates its national success after last Saturday’s federal election, as the TT [Tarrangower Times] goes to press it is still not clear who will win the House of Representatives seat of Bendigo. Counting of preferences continues and it may come down to postal votes; the prospect of a recount is becoming a possibility. The count has Labor’s incumbent Lisa Chesters on a see-saw with the Nationals’ Andrew Lethlean after neither won more than 50 per cent of first preference votes.

Meanwhile, the Australian Electoral Commission has published localised election data showing the provisional results at polling places around this electorate of Bendigo. The varied figures are interesting when considering the unique character of each of the small towns across the region.

In Newstead, where 507 people voted, Lisa Chesters received 36.44 per cent of the first preference votes ahead of Greens Candidate Avery Barnett-Dacey who attained 23.6 per cent and the Nationals with 15.73 per cent.

In Maldon, where 798 people voted, first preferences went to Lisa Chesters with 42.46 per cent, followed by The Nationals’ Andrew Lethlean who received 17.62 per cent, then Avery Barnett-Dacey with 13.75 per cent.

In Harcourt, where 596 people voted, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’s Heather Freeman received 4.1 per cent of first preference votes and Family First candidate Evelyn Keetelaar received 3.74 per cent of first preference votes. Lisa Chesters received 35.65 per cent of first preference votes while Andrew Lethlean received 23.17 per cent.

In Castlemaine, at the Town Hall polling place where 959 people voted, Lisa Chesters received 34.36 per cent of the first preference votes followed by Avery Barnett-Dacey with 33.92 per cent. Heather Freeman received 2.8 per cent and Evelyn Keetelaar attained 2.2 per cent of first preference votes in Castlemaine.

There were 120,140 eligible voters in the Bendigo electorate, of which 102,618 votes have been received. 5,030 votes of these were deemed informal votes, while Lisa Chesters received 33,070 first preference votes, Andrew Lethlean received 29,836 and Avery Barnett-Dacey received 10,879 in the division. At the time of writing, 33.39 per cent of votes had been counted in Bendigo. In the Senate vote for Victoria, Labor received 507,847 above-the-line votes while the Liberal/National Coalition received 409,519.

Senate results will not be known until all votes are received and counted. For up-to-date election results, visit the Australian Electoral Commission at: aec.gov.au.

This article appeared in Tarrangower Times, 9 May 2025.