Nightcliff by-election
We're a few hours from polls closing in the Northern Territory electorate of Nightcliff, in the by-election sparked by the resignation of Greens MLA Kat McNamara.
McNamara won the seat by just 36 votes in 2024, and was the first Green ever elected to the NT legislative assembly. The Greens are running Suki Dorris-Walker, who lost the neighbouring seat of Fannie Bay to the CLP in 2024 by just 37 votes.
Meanwhile, Labor was reduced to just four seats in the 2024 election, so it is very keen to gain this one back, and if it does it would be the party's only seat in Darwin.
So while this election hasn't been given much attention nationally, it will be very closely watched in local politics.
I'll have the results from 6pm local time (7:30pm AEDT) on the ABC News website here and also additional commentary. Turnout is expected to be lower than 2024, both because it is a by-election and because of the wet season weather in Darwin.
There is only one election day polling place, in the Nightcliff High School Gymnasium, and there was only one early voting centre, so results will come in a few big batches.
As well as mobile votes, we should also get a batch of postal votes reported. As of Thursday, 2,264 votes had been cast at the early voting centre (approx 38% of enrolment) and 441 postal votes had been issued (approx 7.4% of enrolment).
If the NT electoral commission counts preferences between two candidates that end up not being the final two, that will make it much harder to call a result tonight. Likewise, it will be hard to call the result if it ends up as close as it did last time!
This will be my only post here today, see you over on the ABC News website later tonight.
The Farrer by-election is taking shape
Meanwhile, the federal race for Farrer is slowly drawing nearer.
The Speaker Milton Dick this week picked the date for the election, on May 9, and more potential candidates are declaring their position.
One Nation has today selected David Farley as its candidate. Independent state MP Helen Dalton, after toying with running for several weeks, has now ruled herself out, making the same decision as Liberal state MP for Albury Justin Clancy.
So this is expected to be a four-way tussle between independent Michelle Milthorpe, One Nation's David Farley, and Liberal and Nationals candidates who are yet to be named.
All candidates are being added to my election guide page as they are announced:
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