Independent Nicolette Boele ahead in critical seat of Bradfield by 40 votes as electoral watchdog flags recount

[Pelican Press 0]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Independent Nicolette Boele ahead in critical seat of Bradfield by 40 votes as electoral watchdog flags recount

Independent teal candidate Nicolette Boele has edged ahead in the race for the seat of Bradfield by just 40 votes – triggering a bombshell update from the electoral watchdog as the Liberals’ purported victory is put into play.

Ms Boele’s opponent, Liberal Gisele Kapterian, was last week on track to win the longtime blue-ribbon seat for the party.

But the latest vote count on Monday evening has now flipped the climate-backed Teal back into the lead by a razor-thin margin of 40 votes.

Ms Boele has secured 56,233 votes, while Ms Kapterian sits at 56,191.

Camera IconNicolette Boele has pulled ahead in the vote off the back of a surge in absent, postal and declaration pre-poll ballots. NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia

The *********** Electoral Commission (AEC) will now carry out a full distribution of preferences and will automatically conduct a recount if the final margin is less than 100 votes.

“It now looks like the result in Bradfield will come down to just a few dozen votes out of around 120,000,” Ms Boele said on Monday afternoon.

“There may be a recount and I await the final declaration from the AEC.

“I’m grateful we live in a country with a trusted electoral commission that conducts itself with integrity. I didn’t quite think I’d get such a close look at the institutions underpinning our democracy, but seeing the AEC operate over the past few weeks, I’m glad we live in Australia.

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

The Teal thanked her “respectful and formidable” opponent for her civility throughout the count.

“This has been a nailbiting couple of weeks for our volunteers, and I’m sure for Gisele Kapterian and her team as well,” she added.

“No matter the final result, our community has sent a powerful message to the major parties: we are not the safe seat we used to be.

“Our votes mattered this time, and they will matter next time too. That’s the power of independents and I thank our 1,450 volunteers for the years of hard work it took to get here.”

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

#Independent #Nicolette #Boele #ahead #critical #seat #Bradfield #votes #electoral #watchdog #flags #recount

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up