NSW by-elections 2017: Labor claims Gosford, down to the wire in North Shore, Manly

UPDATE: James Griffin has declared victory in the Manly by-election despite a massive swing against the Liberal party.

Manly's new member for parliament James Griffin and his wife celebrate at his election party held at Manly Surf club. Adam Yip/ The Manly Daily

JAMES Griffin has declared victory in the Manly by-election despite a massive swing against the Liberal party.

Former Manly deputy mayor received about 63 per cent of the vote on a two-party preferred basis, writes Robbie Patterson of the Manly Daily.

Meanwhile, Liberal candidate Felicity Wilson was clinging on in North Shore despite a disastrous election campaign. Andrea McCullagh of the Mosman Daily writes the result there is too close to call late tonight.

Holding both seats would be a welcome relief for Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who was bracing for a drubbing amid fury over council amalgamations.

NSW Labor leader Luke Foley congratulates Liesl Tesch as they celebrate winning the seat of Gosford in the by-election, at Everglades Country Club, Woy Woy. Picture: Peter Clark

Both are now expected to become marginal going into the next state election.

The formerly marginal Labor seat of Gosford has become one of Labor’s safest, with five-time Parlympian Liesl Tesch winning with ease with a swing of 14 per cent.

Ms Tesch, a teacher, was up against mother-of-five Jilly Pilon, who was preselected for the Liberals.

Incumbent governments usually experience swings of up to 20pc in by-elections.

North Shore had been one of the Liberal Party’s safest seats, but a disastrous campaign by Ms Wilson who was accused of stretching the truth over how long she had lived in the electorate, left gave rivals an advantage.

Former premier Mike Baird and Premier Gladys Berejiklian congratulate Mr Griffin. Adam Yip/ The Manly Daily

In Manly, former remier Mike Baird helped bolster support for Mr Griffin against strong campaigns from the Greens and independents.

By-elections were called in Manly and North Shore after the resignations of Mr Baird and dumped health minister Jillian Skinner.

In exchange for the Right winning spots in the Berejiklian ministry, the moderates were given North Shore and selected Ms Wilson, who had long been agitating for a seat.

Ms Wilson was forced to admit she was registered to vote in Marrickville when she incorrectly said in a social media post that the first vote she ever cast for John Howard was in the 2001 election when she was a student living in his federal electorate of Bennelong.

Ms Wilson faced swings of more than 27 per cent at some booths such as Mosman.

Originally published as NSW by-elections 2017: Labor claims Gosford, down to the wire in North Shore, Manly