The Nationals have a fight on their hands as Labor moves forward

The rusted-on seat of Page looks set for closer than expected election as the two major parties have a difference of just 9% with pre-poll voters.

Pre-poll voter sentiment captured in our exit poll shows in the rusted on seat of Page has the majority of voters sticking with the Nationals.

The Nationals are leading but Labor is not too far behind with the two parties getting the lion’s share of votes in our pre-poll survey.

The survey results have been gathered by regional reporters at the Page pre-polling booths at Grafton and Lismore between May 9 and 11.

The Nationals scored 46% of votes but Labor sat only nine per cent behind them on 37%.

The Greens scored a vote of 11% and independents scored a total of 17% across Page.

In Lismore independents scored higher with 19% of the voters at pre-polling giving them the thumbs up.

While some voters in Grafton declined to comment on their first preference several said “anyone but the major parties” and many said “Kevin Hogan”.

The early voting poll station at King Street Grafton was a colourful mix of electoral candidates, supporters and their vehicles.

Brad Edwards was exercising some free speech parked directly out the front with vehicle signage that read “Just say no to ScoMo and Hogan”.

“I think it’s time for a change,” he said.

Pre-poll voter Laurie Cox moved here 16 years ago and took advantage of the early voting.

“With uncertainty with everything that’s going on I wanted to choose someone solid,” Mr Cox said.

And the issues that influenced his vote were climate change and the economy.

“Climate change is a big one because the weather we are getting now is very uncharacteristic for this time of year,” he said.

Mr Cox was also concerned about the rising cost of living.

Another pre-poll voter Marty Williams has always been a Labor other but voted this year for the Greens to send a message to the government to do something about climate change.