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.
Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won McEwen in 2025 with 57,288 of the 104,616 votes in the final count, beating Jason McCLINTOCK (Liberal) by 9,960 votes (54.8% to 45.2%). Mitchell led on first preferences with 37.4% of 104,616 formal votes and passed the 52,309-vote majority at count 7.
104,616 formal votes9 candidates7 counts9,960-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 104,616 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, Erin McGRATH (FUSION | Planet Rescue | Whistleblower Protection | Innovation) was excluded; their 840 votes were distributed: 210 (25.0%) to Marley McRAE McLEOD; 177 (21.1%) to Chloe NICOLOSI; 144 (17.1%) to Rob MITCHELL; 118 (14.0%) to Tom FORREST and 4 more.
On count 2, Chloe NICOLOSI (Animal Justice Party) was excluded; their 2,277 votes were distributed: 634 (27.8%) to Marley McRAE McLEOD; 586 (25.7%) to Tom FORREST; 320 (14.1%) to Rob MITCHELL; 278 (12.2%) to Julio G VALENCIA and 3 more.
On count 3, Julio G VALENCIA (Family First) was excluded; their 2,825 votes were distributed: 646 (22.9%) to Jason McCLINTOCK; 609 (21.6%) to Ali ANTONIOU; 559 (19.8%) to Jeremy JOHNSON; 381 (13.5%) to Tom FORREST and 2 more.
On count 4, Ali ANTONIOU (Gerard Rennick People First) was excluded; their 4,321 votes were distributed: 2,212 (51.2%) to Jeremy JOHNSON; 1,036 (24.0%) to Tom FORREST; 371 (8.6%) to Marley McRAE McLEOD; 362 (8.4%) to Jason McCLINTOCK and 1 more.
On count 5, Tom FORREST (Legalise Cannabis Party) was excluded; their 6,178 votes were distributed: 2,767 (44.8%) to Marley McRAE McLEOD; 1,469 (23.8%) to Jeremy JOHNSON; 1,250 (20.2%) to Rob MITCHELL; 692 (11.2%) to Jason McCLINTOCK.
On count 6, Jeremy JOHNSON (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 11,349 votes were distributed: 6,963 (61.4%) to Jason McCLINTOCK; 2,322 (20.5%) to Marley McRAE McLEOD; 2,064 (18.2%) to Rob MITCHELL.
On count 7, Marley McRAE McLEOD (The Greens) was excluded; their 18,242 votes were distributed: 13,788 (75.6%) to Rob MITCHELL; 4,454 (24.4%) to Jason McCLINTOCK.
Finally, Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won with 57,288 votes to 47,328 for Jason McCLINTOCK (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
McEwen 2025: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won McEwen in 2022 with 50,998 of the 95,719 votes in the final count, beating Richard WELCH (Liberal) by 6,277 votes (53.3% to 46.7%). Mitchell led on first preferences with 36.8% of 95,719 formal votes and passed the 47,860-vote majority at count 5.
95,719 formal votes7 candidates5 counts6,277-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 95,719 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, Christopher NEIL (Australian Federation Party) was excluded; their 1,721 votes were distributed: 623 (36.2%) to Chris BRADBURY; 345 (20.0%) to John HERRON; 271 (15.7%) to Paul Joseph McRAE; 206 (12.0%) to Neil BARKER and 2 more.
On count 2, John HERRON (Liberal Democrats) was excluded; their 2,924 votes were distributed: 895 (30.6%) to Chris BRADBURY; 887 (30.3%) to Richard WELCH; 726 (24.8%) to Paul Joseph McRAE; 217 (7.4%) to Rob MITCHELL and 1 more.
On count 3, Paul Joseph McRAE (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 6,471 votes were distributed: 3,573 (55.2%) to Chris BRADBURY; 1,411 (21.8%) to Richard WELCH; 884 (13.7%) to Neil BARKER; 603 (9.3%) to Rob MITCHELL.
On count 4, Chris BRADBURY (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 10,478 votes were distributed: 5,909 (56.4%) to Richard WELCH; 2,647 (25.3%) to Neil BARKER; 1,922 (18.3%) to Rob MITCHELL.
On count 5, Neil BARKER (The Greens) was excluded; their 17,460 votes were distributed: 12,880 (73.8%) to Rob MITCHELL; 4,580 (26.2%) to Richard WELCH.
Finally, Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won with 50,998 votes to 44,721 for Richard WELCH (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
McEwen 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Christopher NEILAustralian Federation Party
1,721
Chris BRADBURY (ON): 623 (36.2%)
John HERRON (LDP): 345 (20.0%)
Paul Joseph McRAE (UAPP): 271 (15.7%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 206 (12.0%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 138 (8.0%)
Richard WELCH (LP): 138 (8.0%)
2
John HERRONLiberal Democrats
2,924
Chris BRADBURY (ON): 895 (30.6%)
Richard WELCH (LP): 887 (30.3%)
Paul Joseph McRAE (UAPP): 726 (24.8%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 217 (7.4%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 199 (6.8%)
3
Paul Joseph McRAEUnited Australia Party
6,471
Chris BRADBURY (ON): 3,573 (55.2%)
Richard WELCH (LP): 1,411 (21.8%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 884 (13.7%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 603 (9.3%)
4
Chris BRADBURYPauline Hanson's One Nation
10,478
Richard WELCH (LP): 5,909 (56.4%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 2,647 (25.3%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 1,922 (18.3%)
5
Neil BARKERThe Greens
17,460
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 12,880 (73.8%)
Richard WELCH (LP): 4,580 (26.2%)
Votes after every count
McEwen 2022: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Rob MITCHELLAustralian Labor Party · elected
35,238
35,376
35,593
36,196
38,118
50,998
Richard WELCHLiberal
31,796
31,934
32,821
34,232
40,141
44,721
Neil BARKERThe Greens
13,524
13,730
13,929
14,813
17,460
–
Paul Joseph McRAEUnited Australia Party
5,474
5,745
6,471
–
–
–
Chris BRADBURYPauline Hanson's One Nation
5,387
6,010
6,905
10,478
–
–
John HERRONLiberal Democrats
2,579
2,924
–
–
–
–
Christopher NEILAustralian Federation Party
1,721
–
–
–
–
–
2019 Federal election
Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won McEwen in 2019 with 52,892 of the 96,128 votes in the final count, beating Phillip FUSCO (Liberal) by 9,656 votes (55.0% to 45.0%). Mitchell led on first preferences with 39.4% of 96,128 formal votes and passed the 48,065-vote majority at count 6.
96,128 formal votes8 candidates6 counts9,656-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 96,128 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, Robert James HYNDMAN (Independent) was excluded; their 1,552 votes were distributed: 416 (26.8%) to Phillip FUSCO; 278 (17.9%) to Deb BUTLER; 248 (16.0%) to Rob MITCHELL; 188 (12.1%) to Ronnie GRAHAM and 3 more.
On count 2, Ruth PARRAMORE (Animal Justice Party) was excluded; their 3,024 votes were distributed: 1,269 (42.0%) to Neil BARKER; 532 (17.6%) to Deb BUTLER; 508 (16.8%) to Rob MITCHELL; 292 (9.7%) to Phillip FUSCO and 2 more.
On count 3, Chris HAYMAN (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 3,320 votes were distributed: 1,454 (43.8%) to Ronnie GRAHAM; 802 (24.2%) to Phillip FUSCO; 454 (13.7%) to Deb BUTLER; 362 (10.9%) to Rob MITCHELL and 1 more.
On count 4, Deb BUTLER (Derryn Hinch's Justice Party) was excluded; their 5,142 votes were distributed: 1,749 (34.0%) to Ronnie GRAHAM; 1,332 (25.9%) to Rob MITCHELL; 1,234 (24.0%) to Phillip FUSCO; 827 (16.1%) to Neil BARKER.
On count 5, Ronnie GRAHAM (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 9,333 votes were distributed: 4,942 (53.0%) to Phillip FUSCO; 2,586 (27.7%) to Rob MITCHELL; 1,805 (19.3%) to Neil BARKER.
On count 6, Neil BARKER (The Greens (VIC)) was excluded; their 12,333 votes were distributed: 9,945 (80.6%) to Rob MITCHELL; 2,388 (19.4%) to Phillip FUSCO.
Finally, Rob MITCHELL (Australian Labor Party) won with 52,892 votes to 43,236 for Phillip FUSCO (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
McEwen 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Robert James HYNDMANIndependent
1,552
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 416 (26.8%)
Deb BUTLER (DHJP): 278 (17.9%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 248 (16.0%)
Ronnie GRAHAM (ON): 188 (12.1%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 158 (10.2%)
Ruth PARRAMORE (AJP): 134 (8.6%)
Chris HAYMAN (UAPP): 130 (8.4%)
2
Ruth PARRAMOREAnimal Justice Party
3,024
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 1,269 (42.0%)
Deb BUTLER (DHJP): 532 (17.6%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 508 (16.8%)
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 292 (9.7%)
Ronnie GRAHAM (ON): 249 (8.2%)
Chris HAYMAN (UAPP): 174 (5.8%)
3
Chris HAYMANUnited Australia Party
3,320
Ronnie GRAHAM (ON): 1,454 (43.8%)
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 802 (24.2%)
Deb BUTLER (DHJP): 454 (13.7%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 362 (10.9%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 248 (7.5%)
4
Deb BUTLERDerryn Hinch's Justice Party
5,142
Ronnie GRAHAM (ON): 1,749 (34.0%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 1,332 (25.9%)
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 1,234 (24.0%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 827 (16.1%)
5
Ronnie GRAHAMPauline Hanson's One Nation
9,333
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 4,942 (53.0%)
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 2,586 (27.7%)
Neil BARKER (GVIC): 1,805 (19.3%)
6
Neil BARKERThe Greens (VIC)
12,333
Rob MITCHELL (ALP): 9,945 (80.6%)
Phillip FUSCO (LP): 2,388 (19.4%)
Votes after every count
McEwen 2019: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Count 6
Rob MITCHELLAustralian Labor Party · elected
37,911
38,159
38,667
39,029
40,361
42,947
52,892
Phillip FUSCOLiberal
33,162
33,578
33,870
34,672
35,906
40,848
43,236
Neil BARKERThe Greens (VIC)
8,026
8,184
9,453
9,701
10,528
12,333
–
Ronnie GRAHAMPauline Hanson's One Nation
5,693
5,881
6,130
7,584
9,333
–
–
Deb BUTLERDerryn Hinch's Justice Party
3,878
4,156
4,688
5,142
–
–
–
Chris HAYMANUnited Australia Party
3,016
3,146
3,320
–
–
–
–
Ruth PARRAMOREAnimal Justice Party
2,890
3,024
–
–
–
–
–
Robert James HYNDMANIndependent
1,552
–
–
–
–
–
–
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.
