Clearer picture to emerge in key seat of Gaven later today after Electoral Commission distribute preferences
A TENSE count has begun in the Gold Coast seat of Gaven where a clearer picture of the seat’s fate should emerge later day.
QLD Votes
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A TENSE count has begun in the Gold Coast seat of Gaven where a clearer picture of the seat’s fate should emerge later day.
Labor’s Michael Riordan and LNP’s Sid Cramp shook hands just after 1.25pm as Queensland Electoral Commission staff finally began distributing their preferences.
About seven scrutineers from both parties are standing with them as two Electoral Commission staff count votes at a Nerang office.
Until now it has been impossible to know who had the lead in the northern Coast seat because the vote could not be determined on a two-party preferred basis.
CAMPBELL NEWMAN LOSS A ‘TRAGEDY’
The early counts had led to speculation that the LNP had won on Saturday night, to Mr Riordan having a sizeable lead early yesterday and finally Mr Cramp ahead later in the day.
The reality is both candidates know they can win it.
No-one is in a position to claim it.
Mr Cramp is leading on the primary count with 38.7 per cent of the vote, followed by Mr Riordan on 29.4 per cent and the sitting MP Independent Alex Douglas on 13.4 per cent.
Dr Douglas has directed preferences to Labor and he expects that should enable Mr Riordan to win.
Labor will also benefit from preferences from the Greens because the party is opposed to the cruise ship terminal and won support from voters wanting to maintain Wavebreak Island as public open space,
But the preference flows are not as clear as that with Mr Cramp picking up some Green votes.
Mr Cramp told the Bulletin: “It is still up in the air. We are about to do the preference count with Michael and myself as the two party preferred candidates.
“This afternoon we should get a clearer picture. I think it’s very loose, the preferences for all candidates. At this stage we don’t really know what will happen.”
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