Gladstone one of only three seats declared in QLD election

“There are still around 200,000 postal votes outstanding with more than 640,000 already returned and scrutinised.”

Re-elected Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher delivers his victory speech to family, friends and volunteers at the Gladstone Yacht Club on October 31, 2020. Picture: Rodney Stevens

GLADSTONE is one of only three electorates officially declared by the Electoral Commission of Queensland from 93 seats following the Queensland Election 2020.

Counting in Callide, and many other Queensland seats continues, as postal and absent votes are continuing to be delivered to the returning officer in each electorate to be tallied.

An Electoral Commission of Queensland spokeswoman said all election day and early votes had been counted.

“The 2017 State General Election took nearly two weeks to fully declare,” the spokeswoman said.

“Postal votes and absent votes are being securely transported to their ‘home’ Returning Officer.

“The deadline for the return of postal votes is 6pm, November 10.”

The spokeswoman said electorate declarations were only made when the outcome was mathematically certain.

“There are still around 200,000 postal votes outstanding with more than 640,000 already returned and scrutinised,” she said.

“Three declarations have already been made: Woodridge, Gladstone and Inala.”

Labor incumbent Glenn Butcher was returned as the local member for Gladstone with a swing of 0.3 per cent after preferences, securing 19,839 votes from 33,589 enrolled voters.

This gives Mr Butcher a margin of 23.6 per cent.

Incumbent member for Callide, the LNP’s Colin Boyce is currently leading the count with 65.5 per cent of votes tallied.

LNP candidate Ron Harding secured the party’s best vote in decades, with a swing of 3.4 per cent before preferences, resulting in 7,144 votes or 26.5 per cent of the ballot after preferences.

The biggest change in the Gladstone electorate over the 2017 election was the One Nation vote, with candidate Kevin Jorgensen suffering a 7.8 per cent swing against the Pauline Hanson-led party, picking up 3,410 votes, or 12.6 per cent of the first preference count.

Independent candidate for Gladstone Murray Peterson got 1097 votes or 4.1 per cent of the primary count, followed by The Greens’ Emma Eastaughffe with 924 votes, or 3.4 per cent.

Before the polls, Colin Boyce, who was elected Member for Callide in 2017, enjoyed a margin of 11.7 per cent.

Currently in Callide, the LNP incumbent has a swing of 4.7 per cent, securing 14,285 votes, or 66.3 per cent of the primary count, after 65.5 per cent of the total votes have been counted.

Labor candidate Gordon Earnshaw has seen a 4.7 per cent swing against the party, with 7248 votes, or 33.7 per cent of the primary polls.

For all the election results visit the Electoral Commission of Queensland website.

Queensland election 2020 results after preferences

Gladstone: currently 82.91 per cent counted

Labor – Glenn Butcher – 19,389 – 73.5 per cent

LNP – Ron Harding – 7144 – 26.5 per cent

2017 result: before preferences

Labor – Glenn Butcher – 17,307 – 64.30 per cent

One Nation – Amy Lohse – 5497 – 20.42 per cent

LNP – Chay Conaglen – 3113 – 11.57 per cent

Callide: currently 65.5 per cent counted

LNP – Colin Boyce – 14,285 – 66.3 per-cent

Labor – Gordon Earnshaw – 7248 – 33.7 per cent

2017 result: before preferences

LNP – Colin Boyce – 9663 – 33.43 per cent

One Nation – Sharon Lohse – 7408 – 25.63 per-cent

Labor – Darren Blackwood – 6404 – 22.16 per cent

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