Malcolm Turnbull still in voters’ minds at Wentworth election booths

Voters angry over Malcolm Turnbull’s political downfall need to “move on” according to one long-time party member in Wentworth. The former “rusted on Turnbull supporter” said voters never felt easy around the former PM.

Despite remaining overseas on polling day, Malcolm Turnbull's presence is still being felt in the electorate of Wentworth.

Despite remaining overseas on polling day, Malcolm Turnbull's presence is still being felt in the electorate of Wentworth.

Liberal Dave Sharma is the bookies' favourite to take the seat from incumbent independent Kerryn Phelps, in a battle for the seat formerly occupied by the ex-prime minister.

Mr Turnbull is believed to be spending polling day with family in Singapore.

Both Mr Sharma and Dr Phelps have been lobbying for last minute votes at the Double Bay Public School this morning.

Mark Coppleson, who has been a Liberal Party booth captain at the polling station for 14 years and treasurer of the Point Piper party branch (Malcolm Turnbull's patch) said the mood was different today in comparison to the days of the Turnbull era.

Malcolm Turnbull.

"It is good, but it still not up there (in comparison to the support for Turnbull)," he said.

"It is a lot better than the by-election, people have moved on but it would have helped if they had moved on a bit quicker."

Dr Phelps holds the seat by a slim margin of 1.2 per cent, claiming a lack of public poling during the campaign meant the result of today's vote was anyone's best guess.

.@DaveSharma casts his ballot at Paddington @dailytelegraph #WentworthVotes #ausvotes #auspol pic.twitter.com/0s5h6pUpuk

— Anton Rose (@antonrosetweet) May 17, 2019

Mr Coppleson said former liberals who rebelled against the party last year had since returned and expects that the ghost of Mr Turnbull will be put to rest in Wentworth today.

"I was a rusted on Turnbull supporter I thought he had the right ideas, Dave I think can connect with people far better than he did," Mr Coppleson said.

"People like him, he really is very easy with people, people weren’t easy around Malcolm."

"As much as he was a great PM we all just have to move on.

"There is no point languishing about the past, he has moved on a lot quicker than we did.”