Nationals MP Peter Walsh looks on track to win re-election in tomorrow’s Victorian State Election, exclusive exit poll data from the Riverine Herald shows.
The Riv conducted a random survey of 100 people who cast their ballot at the early voting centre in Echuca this week.
Of the voters The Riv spoke to, 42 per cent said they put Mr Walsh as their first preference, well ahead of Labor Party candidate Damien Hurrell on 22 per cent.
The exit poll data suggests that Deputy Premier Mr Walsh is set to comfortably be re-elected for what would be his sixth term in state parliament.
However, the exit poll data indicates a drop in support for Mr Walsh compared to the last State Election.
Mr Walsh received 60.33 per cent of first preference votes in 2018 according to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) – an 18 per cent drop, according to The Riv’s exit poll.
The National Party saw a 25 per cent swing against it in the seat of Nicholls – which encompasses most of the seat of Murray Plains – at the Federal Election earlier this year, according to the ABC.
Meanwhile, the 22 per cent of first preference votes for Labor and Mr Hurrell would be an increase of three per cent from the 2018 election.
Ten per cent of voters said they had Greens candidate John Brownstein as their first preference – a rise for the Greens of six per cent from 2018 – while eight per cent said the Freedom Party’s Katia Bish was their number one choice.
Four per cent said the Animal Justice Party’s Glenys Leung was their top preference, with two per cent for independent Andrea Otto.
No respondents said they voted for Cameron Macpherson from Family First Victoria.
It is also a much higher figure than the five per cent of informal votes received at the last state election, according to the VEC.
This is the first time Ms Bish, Mr Hurrell, Mr Brownstein, Ms Otto, Ms Leung and Mr Macpherson have run for election in the seat of Murray Plains.
Seven candidates are contesting this state election, up from the four candidates who ran in 2018.
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Victoria received 16 per cent of first preference votes in 2018, but are not fielding a candidate in this election.
Mr Walsh was first elected to parliament in 2002, and has been the leader of the Victorian National Party since 2014.
The 68-year-old has held the seat of Murray Plains since its creation in 2014.
The Riverine Herald’s exit poll data
Peter Walsh, National Party: 42%
Damien Hurrell, Labor Party: 22%
John Brownstein, Greens: 10%
Katia Bish, Freedom Party: 8%
Glenys Leung, Animal Justice Party: 4%
Andrea Otto, Independent: 2%
Cameron Macpherson, Family First Victoria: 0%
Informal vote: 12%