Although counting from last weekend’s state election is ongoing in the seat of Shepparton, the Nationals’ Kim O’Keeffe will replace independent Suzanna Sheed as the district’s next member in the lower house of Victorian Parliament.
How she won her way to victory is becoming clearer, as the Victorian Electoral Commission’s latest data rolls in.
A look at the overall figures from the electorate shows that of the 50,994 voters enrolled, 78.45 per cent of them voted, with an informal rate of 5.76 per cent, which is slightly higher than in the 2018 election.
In that election, 43,686 of a total enrolment of 48,765 voted, with an informal rate of 5.48 per cent.
Ms O’Keeffe has won her seat in this election with 12,258 first preference votes, or 32.52 per cent, compared to Suzanna Sheed’s 11,240 (29.82). Liberal candidate Cheryl Hammer was third on 7793 (20.67).
In 2018, Ms Sheed polled 15,856 first preference votes to finish ahead of Ms Hammer, who was again representing the Liberals, on 10,967.
Broadly speaking, the state election mirrored the result of the federal result in Nicholls, which also includes Shepparton.
In that poll for the vacant seat, independent Rob Priestly lost to the Nationals’ Sam Birrell in smaller rural booths without registering enough support in the major centre of Shepparton to prevail overall.
It was a similar outcome for Ms O’Keeffe and her challenge of Ms Sheed on Saturday.
Ms O’Keeffe’s strongest booth on Saturday was Numurkah, where she won 534 first preference votes. In contrast, Ms Sheed won 453 votes at the same booth, and Ms Hammer 232.
Another stronghold for Ms O’Keeffe was Storey, or Bourchier St Primary School, on 441 votes, with Ms Sheed also trailing there, polling 348. Ms Hammer polled 226 at that booth.
Ms O’Keeffe also prevailed over Ms Sheed at Ardmonda, Bunbartha, Congupna, Katandra West, Katunga, Mooroopna, Picola, Shepparton East, St Georges Rd, Strathmerton, Tatura, Toolamba, Wilmot Rd and Wunghnu.
Ms Sheed polled better than Ms O’Keeffe at the Gowrie St and Guthrie St booths, Kialla, Kialla West, Knight St (St Brendan’s Primary School), Nathalia, Orrvale, Tallygaroopna, Waaia and Wanganui.
Ms Hammer won the Dookie, Barmah and Lemnos booths.
Interestingly, 19,462 early votes were cast ahead of polling day, and 2152 postal votes.
The VEC reported a record number of Victorians chose to vote early in this election — 1,906,930 by the end of Thursday before the election, significantly more than the 1,640,883 who voted early in 2018.
Shepparton results by first preferences
| Candidate | Party | 1st pref. votes | % votes |
| Kim O’Keeffe | The Nationals | 12258 | 32.52% |
| Ian Christoe | Australian Greens | 857 | 2.27% |
| Katherine Taylor | Animal Justice Party | 445 | 1.18% |
| Sueie McGrath | Labour DLP | 785 | 2.08% |
| Diane Teasdale | Freedom Party of Victoria | 703 | 1.86% |
| Liam Cowan | Australian Labor Party | 2844 | 7.54% |
| Cheryl Hammer | Liberal | 7793 | 20.67% |
| Suzanna Sheed | Independent | 11240 | 29.82% |
| Alison White | Family First Victoria | 772 | 2.05% |