Australian House of Representatives elections use full-preferential voting: voters number every box. If no candidate has more than half the first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest is excluded and their ballots pass to each voter’s next preference, repeating until someone has more than half. Practical lesson: rank the candidate you most want to win first and the one you most want to lose last.
Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won Dobell in 2025 with 61,465 of the 103,427 votes in the final count, beating Brendan SMALL (Liberal) by 19,503 votes (59.4% to 40.6%). Mcbride led on first preferences with 42.8% of 103,427 formal votes and passed the 51,714-vote majority at count 6.
103,427 formal votes8 candidates6 counts19,503-vote final margin
Each column is a count. Bar height = votes held; the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes flow to the others. Hover or tap a candidate to highlight their flows.
What happened, count by count
Initially 103,427 first-preference votes were counted. The candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes pass to the voters' next preference, and so on until two remain.
On count 1, Isaac CHALIK (Libertarian) was excluded; their 1,059 votes were distributed: 442 (41.7%) to Martin STEVENSON; 186 (17.6%) to Anthony TAWAF; 118 (11.1%) to Brendan SMALL; 98 (9.3%) to Emma McBRIDE and 3 more.
On count 2, Patrick MURPHY (Animal Justice Party) was excluded; their 1,976 votes were distributed: 623 (31.5%) to Simon George COOPER; 621 (31.4%) to Tim CLAYDON; 354 (17.9%) to Emma McBRIDE; 179 (9.1%) to Martin STEVENSON and 2 more.
On count 3, Anthony TAWAF (Trumpet of Patriots) was excluded; their 3,136 votes were distributed: 1,459 (46.5%) to Martin STEVENSON; 632 (20.2%) to Tim CLAYDON; 452 (14.4%) to Brendan SMALL; 397 (12.7%) to Emma McBRIDE and 1 more.
On count 4, Tim CLAYDON (Legalise Cannabis Party) was excluded; their 6,244 votes were distributed: 1,889 (30.3%) to Emma McBRIDE; 1,872 (30.0%) to Simon George COOPER; 1,816 (29.1%) to Martin STEVENSON; 667 (10.7%) to Brendan SMALL.
On count 5, Martin STEVENSON (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 12,936 votes were distributed: 7,761 (60.0%) to Brendan SMALL; 2,603 (20.1%) to Emma McBRIDE; 2,572 (19.9%) to Simon George COOPER.
On count 6, Simon George COOPER (The Greens) was excluded; their 15,959 votes were distributed: 11,856 (74.3%) to Emma McBRIDE; 4,103 (25.7%) to Brendan SMALL.
Finally, Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won with 61,465 votes to 41,962 for Brendan SMALL (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Dobell 2025: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Isaac CHALIKLibertarian
1,059
Martin STEVENSON (ON): 442 (41.7%)
Anthony TAWAF (CYA): 186 (17.6%)
Brendan SMALL (LP): 118 (11.1%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 98 (9.3%)
Tim CLAYDON (HMP): 96 (9.1%)
Patrick MURPHY (AJP): 70 (6.6%)
Simon George COOPER (GRN): 49 (4.6%)
2
Patrick MURPHYAnimal Justice Party
1,976
Simon George COOPER (GRN): 623 (31.5%)
Tim CLAYDON (HMP): 621 (31.4%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 354 (17.9%)
Martin STEVENSON (ON): 179 (9.1%)
Brendan SMALL (LP): 104 (5.3%)
Anthony TAWAF (CYA): 95 (4.8%)
3
Anthony TAWAFTrumpet of Patriots
3,136
Martin STEVENSON (ON): 1,459 (46.5%)
Tim CLAYDON (HMP): 632 (20.2%)
Brendan SMALL (LP): 452 (14.4%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 397 (12.7%)
Simon George COOPER (GRN): 196 (6.2%)
4
Tim CLAYDONLegalise Cannabis Party
6,244
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 1,889 (30.3%)
Simon George COOPER (GRN): 1,872 (30.0%)
Martin STEVENSON (ON): 1,816 (29.1%)
Brendan SMALL (LP): 667 (10.7%)
5
Martin STEVENSONPauline Hanson's One Nation
12,936
Brendan SMALL (LP): 7,761 (60.0%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 2,603 (20.1%)
Simon George COOPER (GRN): 2,572 (19.9%)
6
Simon George COOPERThe Greens
15,959
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 11,856 (74.3%)
Brendan SMALL (LP): 4,103 (25.7%)
Votes after every count
Dobell 2025: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Count 6
Emma McBRIDELabor · elected
44,268
44,366
44,720
45,117
47,006
49,609
61,465
Brendan SMALLLiberal
28,757
28,875
28,979
29,431
30,098
37,859
41,962
Simon George COOPERThe Greens
10,647
10,696
11,319
11,515
13,387
15,959
–
Martin STEVENSONPauline Hanson's One Nation
9,040
9,482
9,661
11,120
12,936
–
–
Tim CLAYDONLegalise Cannabis Party
4,895
4,991
5,612
6,244
–
–
–
Anthony TAWAFTrumpet of Patriots
2,855
3,041
3,136
–
–
–
–
Patrick MURPHYAnimal Justice Party
1,906
1,976
–
–
–
–
–
Isaac CHALIKLibertarian
1,059
–
–
–
–
–
–
2022 Federal election
Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won Dobell in 2022 with 57,491 of the 101,717 votes in the final count, beating Michael FENELEY (Liberal) by 13,265 votes (56.5% to 43.5%). Mcbride led on first preferences with 42.9% of 101,717 formal votes and passed the 50,859-vote majority at count 4.
101,717 formal votes7 candidates5 counts13,265-vote final margin
Each column is a count. Bar height = votes held; the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes flow to the others. Hover or tap a candidate to highlight their flows.
What happened, count by count
Initially 101,717 first-preference votes were counted. The candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes pass to the voters' next preference, and so on until two remain.
On count 1, Eliot METHERELL (Liberal Democrats) was excluded; their 1,543 votes were distributed: 520 (33.7%) to Michael FENELEY; 387 (25.1%) to Martin STEVENSON; 283 (18.3%) to Emma McBRIDE; 189 (12.2%) to Dean James MACKIN and 2 more.
On count 2, Geoff BARNES (FUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency) was excluded; their 2,279 votes were distributed: 773 (33.9%) to Cath CONNOR; 667 (29.3%) to Dean James MACKIN; 375 (16.5%) to Emma McBRIDE; 253 (11.1%) to Michael FENELEY and 1 more.
On count 3, Dean James MACKIN (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 4,674 votes were distributed: 2,351 (50.3%) to Martin STEVENSON; 1,185 (25.4%) to Michael FENELEY; 594 (12.7%) to Cath CONNOR; 544 (11.6%) to Emma McBRIDE.
On count 4, Cath CONNOR (The Greens) was excluded; their 10,154 votes were distributed: 7,605 (74.9%) to Emma McBRIDE; 1,293 (12.7%) to Michael FENELEY; 1,256 (12.4%) to Martin STEVENSON.
On count 5, Martin STEVENSON (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 11,788 votes were distributed: 6,699 (56.8%) to Michael FENELEY; 5,089 (43.2%) to Emma McBRIDE.
Finally, Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won with 57,491 votes to 44,226 for Michael FENELEY (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Dobell 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won Dobell in 2019 with 52,244 of the 101,453 votes in the final count, beating Jilly PILON (Liberal) by 3,035 votes (51.5% to 48.5%). Mcbride led on first preferences with 41.5% of 101,453 formal votes and passed the 50,727-vote majority at count 4.
101,453 formal votes6 candidates4 counts3,035-vote final margin
Each column is a count. Bar height = votes held; the candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes flow to the others. Hover or tap a candidate to highlight their flows.
What happened, count by count
Initially 101,453 first-preference votes were counted. The candidate with the fewest votes is excluded and their votes pass to the voters' next preference, and so on until two remain.
On count 1, Paula GRUNDY (Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)) was excluded; their 1,868 votes were distributed: 987 (52.8%) to Jilly PILON; 381 (20.4%) to Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARR; 210 (11.2%) to Gregory Francis STEPHENSON; 183 (9.8%) to Emma McBRIDE and 1 more.
On count 2, Gregory Francis STEPHENSON (Independent) was excluded; their 3,386 votes were distributed: 1,005 (29.7%) to Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARR; 1,004 (29.7%) to Emma McBRIDE; 704 (20.8%) to Scott RICKARD; 673 (19.9%) to Jilly PILON.
On count 3, Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARR (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 6,797 votes were distributed: 3,755 (55.2%) to Jilly PILON; 1,610 (23.7%) to Emma McBRIDE; 1,432 (21.1%) to Scott RICKARD.
On count 4, Scott RICKARD (The Greens) was excluded; their 9,822 votes were distributed: 7,354 (74.9%) to Emma McBRIDE; 2,468 (25.1%) to Jilly PILON.
Finally, Emma McBRIDE (Labor) won with 52,244 votes to 49,209 for Jilly PILON (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Dobell 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Paula GRUNDYChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
1,868
Jilly PILON (LP): 987 (52.8%)
Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARR (UAPP): 381 (20.4%)
Gregory Francis STEPHENSON (IND): 210 (11.2%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 183 (9.8%)
Scott RICKARD (GRN): 107 (5.7%)
2
Gregory Francis STEPHENSONIndependent
3,386
Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARR (UAPP): 1,005 (29.7%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 1,004 (29.7%)
Scott RICKARD (GRN): 704 (20.8%)
Jilly PILON (LP): 673 (19.9%)
3
Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARRUnited Australia Party
6,797
Jilly PILON (LP): 3,755 (55.2%)
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 1,610 (23.7%)
Scott RICKARD (GRN): 1,432 (21.1%)
4
Scott RICKARDThe Greens
9,822
Emma McBRIDE (ALP): 7,354 (74.9%)
Jilly PILON (LP): 2,468 (25.1%)
Votes after every count
Dobell 2019: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Emma McBRIDELabor · elected
42,093
42,276
43,280
44,890
52,244
Jilly PILONLiberal
41,326
42,313
42,986
46,741
49,209
Scott RICKARDThe Greens
7,579
7,686
8,390
9,822
–
Aaron Gregory HARPLEY-CARRUnited Australia Party
5,411
5,792
6,797
–
–
Gregory Francis STEPHENSONIndependent
3,176
3,386
–
–
–
Paula GRUNDYChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
1,868
–
–
–
–
About this page
Australian House of Representatives elections use full-preferential voting: voters number every box. If no candidate has more than half the first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest is excluded and their ballots pass to each voter’s next preference, repeating until someone has more than half. Practical lesson: rank the candidate you most want to win first and the one you most want to lose last.
