Federal election: Richmond prepoll survey shows tight race will come down to preferences

An exit poll survey has revealed a neck and neck race between the two major parties with most voters opting for minor or independents.

Labor could retain the NSW seat of Richmond for another three years but it will come down to preferences according to the country’s largest pre-polling booth exit poll.

NewsCorp’s regional and hyperlocal titles are surveying Australia’s pre-polling booths in a bid to determine who is likely to win the federal election on May 21.

Early results show Richmond voters are picking independent and minor parties with 27 per cent of voters putting the Greens candidate Mandy Nolan first and eight per cent opting for other minor parties or independents.

If voters follow the Greens How to Vote card and place incumbent Justine Elliot second, it’s likely Labor will retain the seat.

On first preference Nationals candidate Kimberly Hone received the most votes with 34 per cent while Mrs Elliot fell not far behind with 31 per cent of votes.

Byron Bay resident Simeon Naughton said he put Greens first and Labor as his preferred major party.

He said his vote was based on climate change and integrity.

“(The greens) are committed to the environment as a priority not as a secondary priority,” Mr Naughton said.

“If we don’t fix the environment there’s no economy, there’s no jobs, there’s no future.”

The survey questioned 100 voters at the Tweed Baptist Church, the Marvell Hall Byron Bay and the Ballina Indoor Sports centre between May 9 and 10.

The seat of Richmond has been held by Mrs Elliot for

More than 31 per cent of Australians cast their votes in pre-polling booths during the last federal election in 2019.