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.
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (Australian Labor Party) won Higgins in 2022 with 49,726 of the 95,511 votes in the final count, beating Katie ALLEN (Liberal) by 3,941 votes (52.1% to 47.9%). Ananda-Rajah came from behind: Allen led on first preferences (40.7% to 28.5%) but preferences from excluded candidates put Ananda-Rajah ahead at count 6.
95,511 formal votes8 candidates6 counts3,941-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 95,511 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, Suzie MENOUDAKIS (Australian Federation Party) was excluded; their 515 votes were distributed: 156 (30.3%) to Matthew FORD; 98 (19.0%) to Ingram Magnus SPENCER; 61 (11.8%) to Sonya SEMMENS; 55 (10.7%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH and 3 more.
On count 2, Alicia WALKER (Animal Justice Party) was excluded; their 1,339 votes were distributed: 524 (39.1%) to Sonya SEMMENS; 268 (20.0%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH; 182 (13.6%) to Andrew JOHNSON; 162 (12.1%) to Katie ALLEN and 2 more.
On count 3, Andrew JOHNSON (Reason Australia) was excluded; their 1,689 votes were distributed: 909 (53.8%) to Sonya SEMMENS; 392 (23.2%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH; 155 (9.2%) to Katie ALLEN; 130 (7.7%) to Matthew FORD and 1 more.
On count 4, Ingram Magnus SPENCER (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 2,254 votes were distributed: 1,167 (51.8%) to Matthew FORD; 522 (23.2%) to Katie ALLEN; 387 (17.2%) to Sonya SEMMENS; 178 (7.9%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH.
On count 5, Matthew FORD (Liberal Democrats) was excluded; their 4,168 votes were distributed: 2,997 (71.9%) to Katie ALLEN; 590 (14.2%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH; 581 (13.9%) to Sonya SEMMENS.
On count 6, Sonya SEMMENS (The Greens) was excluded; their 24,094 votes were distributed: 21,056 (87.4%) to Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH; 3,038 (12.6%) to Katie ALLEN.
Finally, Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (Australian Labor Party) won with 49,726 votes to 45,785 for Katie ALLEN (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Higgins 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Suzie MENOUDAKISAustralian Federation Party
515
Matthew FORD (LDP): 156 (30.3%)
Ingram Magnus SPENCER (UAPP): 98 (19.0%)
Sonya SEMMENS (GVIC): 61 (11.8%)
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 55 (10.7%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 52 (10.1%)
Andrew JOHNSON (REAS): 49 (9.5%)
Alicia WALKER (AJP): 44 (8.5%)
2
Alicia WALKERAnimal Justice Party
1,339
Sonya SEMMENS (GVIC): 524 (39.1%)
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 268 (20.0%)
Andrew JOHNSON (REAS): 182 (13.6%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 162 (12.1%)
Ingram Magnus SPENCER (UAPP): 136 (10.2%)
Matthew FORD (LDP): 67 (5.0%)
3
Andrew JOHNSONReason Australia
1,689
Sonya SEMMENS (GVIC): 909 (53.8%)
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 392 (23.2%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 155 (9.2%)
Matthew FORD (LDP): 130 (7.7%)
Ingram Magnus SPENCER (UAPP): 103 (6.1%)
4
Ingram Magnus SPENCERUnited Australia Party
2,254
Matthew FORD (LDP): 1,167 (51.8%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 522 (23.2%)
Sonya SEMMENS (GVIC): 387 (17.2%)
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 178 (7.9%)
5
Matthew FORDLiberal Democrats
4,168
Katie ALLEN (LP): 2,997 (71.9%)
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 590 (14.2%)
Sonya SEMMENS (GVIC): 581 (13.9%)
6
Sonya SEMMENSThe Greens
24,094
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAH (ALP): 21,056 (87.4%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 3,038 (12.6%)
Votes after every count
Higgins 2022: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Count 6
Katie ALLENLiberal
38,859
38,911
39,073
39,228
39,750
42,747
45,785
Michelle ANANDA-RAJAHAustralian Labor Party · elected
27,187
27,242
27,510
27,902
28,080
28,670
49,726
Sonya SEMMENSThe Greens
21,632
21,693
22,217
23,126
23,513
24,094
–
Matthew FORDLiberal Democrats
2,648
2,804
2,871
3,001
4,168
–
–
Ingram Magnus SPENCERUnited Australia Party
1,917
2,015
2,151
2,254
–
–
–
Andrew JOHNSONReason Australia
1,458
1,507
1,689
–
–
–
–
Alicia WALKERAnimal Justice Party
1,295
1,339
–
–
–
–
–
Suzie MENOUDAKISAustralian Federation Party
515
–
–
–
–
–
–
2019 Federal election
Katie ALLEN (Liberal) won Higgins in 2019 with 54,139 of the 100,478 votes in the final count, beating Fiona McLEOD (Australian Labor Party) by 7,800 votes (53.9% to 46.1%). Allen led on first preferences with 47.9% of 100,478 formal votes and passed the 50,240-vote majority at count 4.
100,478 formal votes6 candidates4 counts7,800-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 100,478 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, Tim RYAN (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 1,249 votes were distributed: 611 (48.9%) to Katie ALLEN; 189 (15.1%) to Fiona McLEOD; 178 (14.3%) to Michaela MORAN; 143 (11.4%) to Alicia WALKER and 1 more.
On count 2, Michaela MORAN (Sustainable Australia) was excluded; their 1,516 votes were distributed: 470 (31.0%) to Alicia WALKER; 424 (28.0%) to Jason BALL; 404 (26.6%) to Katie ALLEN; 218 (14.4%) to Fiona McLEOD.
On count 3, Alicia WALKER (Animal Justice Party) was excluded; their 2,342 votes were distributed: 1,295 (55.3%) to Jason BALL; 599 (25.6%) to Katie ALLEN; 448 (19.1%) to Fiona McLEOD.
On count 4, Jason BALL (The Greens (VIC)) was excluded; their 24,420 votes were distributed: 19,986 (81.8%) to Fiona McLEOD; 4,434 (18.2%) to Katie ALLEN.
Finally, Katie ALLEN (Liberal) won with 54,139 votes to 46,339 for Fiona McLEOD (Australian Labor Party).
Where the preferences went
Higgins 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Tim RYANUnited Australia Party
1,249
Katie ALLEN (LP): 611 (48.9%)
Fiona McLEOD (ALP): 189 (15.1%)
Michaela MORAN (SPP): 178 (14.3%)
Alicia WALKER (AJP): 143 (11.4%)
Jason BALL (GVIC): 128 (10.2%)
2
Michaela MORANSustainable Australia
1,516
Alicia WALKER (AJP): 470 (31.0%)
Jason BALL (GVIC): 424 (28.0%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 404 (26.6%)
Fiona McLEOD (ALP): 218 (14.4%)
3
Alicia WALKERAnimal Justice Party
2,342
Jason BALL (GVIC): 1,295 (55.3%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 599 (25.6%)
Fiona McLEOD (ALP): 448 (19.1%)
4
Jason BALLThe Greens (VIC)
24,420
Fiona McLEOD (ALP): 19,986 (81.8%)
Katie ALLEN (LP): 4,434 (18.2%)
Votes after every count
Higgins 2019: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Katie ALLENLiberal · elected
48,091
48,702
49,106
49,705
54,139
Fiona McLEODAustralian Labor Party
25,498
25,687
25,905
26,353
46,339
Jason BALLThe Greens (VIC)
22,573
22,701
23,125
24,420
–
Alicia WALKERAnimal Justice Party
1,729
1,872
2,342
–
–
Michaela MORANSustainable Australia
1,338
1,516
–
–
–
Tim RYANUnited Australia Party
1,249
–
–
–
–
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.
