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.
Sam BIRRELL (The Nationals) won Nicholls in 2025 with 67,887 of the 105,450 votes in the final count, beating Kim TRAVERS (Australian Labor Party) by 30,324 votes (64.4% to 35.6%). Birrell led on first preferences with 46.2% of 105,450 formal votes and passed the 52,726-vote majority at count 4.
105,450 formal votes7 candidates5 counts30,324-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 105,450 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, Jeff DAVY (Citizens Party) was excluded; their 1,082 votes were distributed: 266 (24.6%) to Paul Edward BACHELOR; 205 (18.9%) to Aaron TYRRELL; 204 (18.9%) to Sam BIRRELL; 184 (17.0%) to Shelby EADE and 2 more.
On count 2, Paul Edward BACHELOR (Family First) was excluded; their 4,983 votes were distributed: 1,533 (30.8%) to Aaron TYRRELL; 1,310 (26.3%) to Sam BIRRELL; 898 (18.0%) to Kim TRAVERS; 762 (15.3%) to Glenn Francis FLOYD and 1 more.
On count 3, Glenn Francis FLOYD (Trumpet of Patriots) was excluded; their 5,877 votes were distributed: 3,428 (58.3%) to Aaron TYRRELL; 1,309 (22.3%) to Sam BIRRELL; 810 (13.8%) to Kim TRAVERS; 330 (5.6%) to Shelby EADE.
On count 4, Shelby EADE (The Greens) was excluded; their 9,229 votes were distributed: 6,303 (68.3%) to Kim TRAVERS; 2,053 (22.2%) to Sam BIRRELL; 873 (9.5%) to Aaron TYRRELL.
On count 5, Aaron TYRRELL (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 18,134 votes were distributed: 14,249 (78.6%) to Sam BIRRELL; 3,885 (21.4%) to Kim TRAVERS.
Finally, Sam BIRRELL (The Nationals) won with 67,887 votes to 37,563 for Kim TRAVERS (Australian Labor Party).
Where the preferences went
Nicholls 2025: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Jeff DAVYCitizens Party
1,082
Paul Edward BACHELOR (FFPA): 266 (24.6%)
Aaron TYRRELL (ON): 205 (18.9%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 204 (18.9%)
Shelby EADE (GVIC): 184 (17.0%)
Glenn Francis FLOYD (CYA): 116 (10.7%)
Kim TRAVERS (ALP): 107 (9.9%)
2
Paul Edward BACHELORFamily First
4,983
Aaron TYRRELL (ON): 1,533 (30.8%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 1,310 (26.3%)
Kim TRAVERS (ALP): 898 (18.0%)
Glenn Francis FLOYD (CYA): 762 (15.3%)
Shelby EADE (GVIC): 480 (9.6%)
3
Glenn Francis FLOYDTrumpet of Patriots
5,877
Aaron TYRRELL (ON): 3,428 (58.3%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 1,309 (22.3%)
Kim TRAVERS (ALP): 810 (13.8%)
Shelby EADE (GVIC): 330 (5.6%)
4
Shelby EADEThe Greens
9,229
Kim TRAVERS (ALP): 6,303 (68.3%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 2,053 (22.2%)
Aaron TYRRELL (ON): 873 (9.5%)
5
Aaron TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
18,134
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 14,249 (78.6%)
Kim TRAVERS (ALP): 3,885 (21.4%)
Votes after every count
Nicholls 2025: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Sam BIRRELLThe Nationals · elected
48,762
48,966
50,276
51,585
53,638
67,887
Kim TRAVERSAustralian Labor Party
25,560
25,667
26,565
27,375
33,678
37,563
Aaron TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
12,095
12,300
13,833
17,261
18,134
–
Shelby EADEThe Greens
8,235
8,419
8,899
9,229
–
–
Glenn Francis FLOYDTrumpet of Patriots
4,999
5,115
5,877
–
–
–
Paul Edward BACHELORFamily First
4,717
4,983
–
–
–
–
Jeff DAVYCitizens Party
1,082
–
–
–
–
–
2022 Federal election
Sam BIRRELL (The Nationals) won Nicholls in 2022 with 51,221 of the 95,191 votes in the final count, beating Rob PRIESTLY (Independent) by 7,251 votes (53.8% to 46.2%). Birrell led on first preferences with 26.1% of 95,191 formal votes and passed the 47,596-vote majority at count 9.
95,191 formal votes11 candidates9 counts7,251-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 95,191 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, Eleonor TABONE (Australian Federation Party) was excluded; their 367 votes were distributed: 81 (22.1%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 77 (21.0%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 42 (11.4%) to Tim LAIRD; 34 (9.3%) to Steve BROOKS and 6 more.
On count 2, Jeff DAVY (Citizens Party) was excluded; their 398 votes were distributed: 85 (21.4%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 58 (14.6%) to Bill LODWICK; 52 (13.1%) to Robert PETERSON; 47 (11.8%) to Rob PRIESTLY and 5 more.
On count 3, Andrea OTTO (FUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency) was excluded; their 719 votes were distributed: 210 (29.2%) to Ian CHRISTOE; 196 (27.3%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 81 (11.3%) to Bill LODWICK; 66 (9.2%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL and 4 more.
On count 4, Ian CHRISTOE (The Greens) was excluded; their 3,313 votes were distributed: 1,261 (38.1%) to Bill LODWICK; 1,237 (37.3%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 205 (6.2%) to Steve BROOKS; 181 (5.5%) to Sam BIRRELL and 3 more.
On count 5, Tim LAIRD (Liberal Democrats) was excluded; their 3,581 votes were distributed: 1,324 (37.0%) to Sam BIRRELL; 822 (23.0%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 637 (17.8%) to Steve BROOKS; 270 (7.5%) to Rob PRIESTLY and 2 more.
On count 6, Robert PETERSON (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 4,393 votes were distributed: 2,317 (52.7%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 629 (14.3%) to Sam BIRRELL; 608 (13.8%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 453 (10.3%) to Bill LODWICK and 1 more.
On count 7, Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 9,746 votes were distributed: 3,755 (38.5%) to Sam BIRRELL; 3,504 (36.0%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 1,563 (16.0%) to Steve BROOKS; 924 (9.5%) to Bill LODWICK.
On count 8, Bill LODWICK (Australian Labor Party) was excluded; their 14,021 votes were distributed: 8,910 (63.5%) to Rob PRIESTLY; 3,313 (23.6%) to Sam BIRRELL; 1,798 (12.8%) to Steve BROOKS.
On count 9, Steve BROOKS (Liberal) was excluded; their 21,870 votes were distributed: 17,036 (77.9%) to Sam BIRRELL; 4,834 (22.1%) to Rob PRIESTLY.
Finally, Sam BIRRELL (The Nationals) won with 51,221 votes to 43,970 for Rob PRIESTLY (Independent).
Where the preferences went
Nicholls 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Eleonor TABONEAustralian Federation Party
367
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 81 (22.1%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 77 (21.0%)
Tim LAIRD (LDP): 42 (11.4%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 34 (9.3%)
Andrea OTTO (SOPA): 33 (9.0%)
Robert PETERSON (UAPP): 27 (7.4%)
Jeff DAVY (CEC): 21 (5.7%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 19 (5.2%)
Ian CHRISTOE (GVIC): 18 (4.9%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 15 (4.1%)
2
Jeff DAVYCitizens Party
398
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 85 (21.4%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 58 (14.6%)
Robert PETERSON (UAPP): 52 (13.1%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 47 (11.8%)
Tim LAIRD (LDP): 43 (10.8%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 38 (9.5%)
Andrea OTTO (SOPA): 33 (8.3%)
Ian CHRISTOE (GVIC): 27 (6.8%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 15 (3.8%)
3
Andrea OTTOFUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency
719
Ian CHRISTOE (GVIC): 210 (29.2%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 196 (27.3%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 81 (11.3%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 66 (9.2%)
Robert PETERSON (UAPP): 46 (6.4%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 45 (6.3%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 40 (5.6%)
Tim LAIRD (LDP): 35 (4.9%)
4
Ian CHRISTOEThe Greens
3,313
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 1,261 (38.1%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 1,237 (37.3%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 205 (6.2%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 181 (5.5%)
Robert PETERSON (UAPP): 178 (5.4%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 156 (4.7%)
Tim LAIRD (LDP): 95 (2.9%)
5
Tim LAIRDLiberal Democrats
3,581
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 1,324 (37.0%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 822 (23.0%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 637 (17.8%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 270 (7.5%)
Robert PETERSON (UAPP): 269 (7.5%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 259 (7.2%)
6
Robert PETERSONUnited Australia Party
4,393
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 2,317 (52.7%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 629 (14.3%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 608 (13.8%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 453 (10.3%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 386 (8.8%)
7
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
9,746
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 3,755 (38.5%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 3,504 (36.0%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 1,563 (16.0%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 924 (9.5%)
8
Bill LODWICKAustralian Labor Party
14,021
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 8,910 (63.5%)
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 3,313 (23.6%)
Steve BROOKS (LP): 1,798 (12.8%)
9
Steve BROOKSLiberal
21,870
Sam BIRRELL (NP): 17,036 (77.9%)
Rob PRIESTLY (IND): 4,834 (22.1%)
Votes after every count
Nicholls 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
Count 7
Count 8
Count 9
Sam BIRRELLThe Nationals · elected
24,886
24,905
24,943
24,983
25,164
26,488
27,117
30,872
34,185
51,221
Rob PRIESTLYIndependent
24,287
24,364
24,411
24,607
25,844
26,114
26,722
30,226
39,136
43,970
Steve BROOKSLiberal
17,187
17,221
17,236
17,281
17,486
18,123
18,509
20,072
21,870
–
Bill LODWICKAustralian Labor Party
10,970
10,985
11,043
11,124
12,385
12,644
13,097
14,021
–
–
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
6,219
6,300
6,385
6,451
6,607
7,429
9,746
–
–
–
Robert PETERSONUnited Australia Party
3,821
3,848
3,900
3,946
4,124
4,393
–
–
–
–
Tim LAIRDLiberal Democrats
3,366
3,408
3,451
3,486
3,581
–
–
–
–
–
Ian CHRISTOEThe Greens
3,058
3,076
3,103
3,313
–
–
–
–
–
–
Andrea OTTOFUSION: Science, Pirate, Secular, Climate Emergency
653
686
719
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Jeff DAVYCitizens Party
377
398
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Eleonor TABONEAustralian Federation Party
367
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2019 Federal election
Damian DRUM (The Nationals) won Nicholls in 2019 with 66,732 of the 95,292 votes in the final count, beating Bill LODWICK (Australian Labor Party) by 38,172 votes (70.0% to 30.0%). Drum won on first preferences, with 51.3% of 95,292 formal votes (more than half: 47,647 needed).
95,292 formal votes8 candidates6 counts38,172-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 95,292 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, Nigel HICKS (Independent) was excluded; their 1,749 votes were distributed: 444 (25.4%) to Andrew BOCK; 366 (20.9%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 338 (19.3%) to Jeremy PARKER; 294 (16.8%) to Damian DRUM and 3 more.
On count 2, Jeremy PARKER (Independent) was excluded; their 2,110 votes were distributed: 1,255 (59.5%) to Andrew BOCK; 431 (20.4%) to Damian DRUM; 136 (6.4%) to Stewart John HINE; 134 (6.4%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL and 2 more.
On count 3, Nickee FREEMAN (The Greens (VIC)) was excluded; their 4,173 votes were distributed: 2,222 (53.2%) to Bill LODWICK; 784 (18.8%) to Andrew BOCK; 652 (15.6%) to Damian DRUM; 343 (8.2%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL and 1 more.
On count 4, Stewart John HINE (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 5,490 votes were distributed: 2,123 (38.7%) to Damian DRUM; 2,037 (37.1%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL; 751 (13.7%) to Andrew BOCK; 579 (10.5%) to Bill LODWICK.
On count 5, Andrew BOCK (Independent) was excluded; their 7,815 votes were distributed: 3,616 (46.3%) to Damian DRUM; 2,448 (31.3%) to Bill LODWICK; 1,751 (22.4%) to Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL.
On count 6, Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 15,385 votes were distributed: 10,761 (69.9%) to Damian DRUM; 4,624 (30.1%) to Bill LODWICK.
Finally, Damian DRUM (The Nationals) won with 66,732 votes to 28,560 for Bill LODWICK (Australian Labor Party).
Where the preferences went
Nicholls 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Nigel HICKSIndependent
1,749
Andrew BOCK (IND): 444 (25.4%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 366 (20.9%)
Jeremy PARKER (IND): 338 (19.3%)
Damian DRUM (NP): 294 (16.8%)
Stewart John HINE (UAPP): 105 (6.0%)
Nickee FREEMAN (GVIC): 103 (5.9%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 99 (5.7%)
2
Jeremy PARKERIndependent
2,110
Andrew BOCK (IND): 1,255 (59.5%)
Damian DRUM (NP): 431 (20.4%)
Stewart John HINE (UAPP): 136 (6.4%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 134 (6.4%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 95 (4.5%)
Nickee FREEMAN (GVIC): 59 (2.8%)
3
Nickee FREEMANThe Greens (VIC)
4,173
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 2,222 (53.2%)
Andrew BOCK (IND): 784 (18.8%)
Damian DRUM (NP): 652 (15.6%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 343 (8.2%)
Stewart John HINE (UAPP): 172 (4.1%)
4
Stewart John HINEUnited Australia Party
5,490
Damian DRUM (NP): 2,123 (38.7%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 2,037 (37.1%)
Andrew BOCK (IND): 751 (13.7%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 579 (10.5%)
5
Andrew BOCKIndependent
7,815
Damian DRUM (NP): 3,616 (46.3%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 2,448 (31.3%)
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELL (ON): 1,751 (22.4%)
6
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
15,385
Damian DRUM (NP): 10,761 (69.9%)
Bill LODWICK (ALP): 4,624 (30.1%)
Votes after every count
Nicholls 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
Damian DRUMThe Nationals · elected
48,855
49,149
49,580
50,232
52,355
55,971
66,732
Bill LODWICKAustralian Labor Party
18,493
18,592
18,687
20,909
21,488
23,936
28,560
Rikkie-Lee TYRRELLPauline Hanson's One Nation
10,754
11,120
11,254
11,597
13,634
15,385
–
Stewart John HINEUnited Australia Party
5,077
5,182
5,318
5,490
–
–
–
Andrew BOCKIndependent
4,581
5,025
6,280
7,064
7,815
–
–
Nickee FREEMANThe Greens (VIC)
4,011
4,114
4,173
–
–
–
–
Jeremy PARKERIndependent
1,772
2,110
–
–
–
–
–
Nigel HICKSIndependent
1,749
–
–
–
–
–
–
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.
