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.
Kylea Jane TINK (Independent) won North Sydney in 2022 with 51,392 of the 97,118 votes in the final count, beating Trent ZIMMERMAN (Liberal) by 5,666 votes (52.9% to 47.1%). Tink came from behind: Zimmerman led on first preferences (38.1% to 25.2%) but preferences from excluded candidates put Tink ahead at count 8.
97,118 formal votes10 candidates8 counts5,666-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 97,118 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, Lesley KINNEY (Informed Medical Options Party) was excluded; their 491 votes were distributed: 88 (17.9%) to Michael WALLS; 81 (16.5%) to Dajen TINKLER; 70 (14.3%) to Robert NALBANDIAN; 60 (12.2%) to William BOURKE and 5 more.
On count 2, Victor KLINE (TNL) was excluded; their 922 votes were distributed: 304 (33.0%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 185 (20.1%) to Heather ARMSTRONG; 144 (15.6%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 139 (15.1%) to Catherine RENSHAW and 4 more.
On count 3, Michael WALLS (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 1,248 votes were distributed: 542 (43.4%) to Robert NALBANDIAN; 221 (17.7%) to Dajen TINKLER; 209 (16.7%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 100 (8.0%) to Kylea Jane TINK and 3 more.
On count 4, William BOURKE (Sustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment / Corruption) was excluded; their 1,380 votes were distributed: 387 (28.0%) to Heather ARMSTRONG; 359 (26.0%) to Robert NALBANDIAN; 275 (19.9%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 153 (11.1%) to Catherine RENSHAW and 2 more.
On count 5, Dajen TINKLER (Liberal Democrats) was excluded; their 1,561 votes were distributed: 640 (41.0%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 579 (37.1%) to Robert NALBANDIAN; 160 (10.2%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 107 (6.9%) to Catherine RENSHAW and 1 more.
On count 6, Robert NALBANDIAN (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 3,295 votes were distributed: 1,210 (36.7%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 1,159 (35.2%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 544 (16.5%) to Heather ARMSTRONG; 382 (11.6%) to Catherine RENSHAW.
On count 7, Heather ARMSTRONG (The Greens) was excluded; their 9,576 votes were distributed: 4,428 (46.2%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 3,892 (40.6%) to Catherine RENSHAW; 1,256 (13.1%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN.
On count 8, Catherine RENSHAW (Labor) was excluded; their 25,587 votes were distributed: 20,440 (79.9%) to Kylea Jane TINK; 5,147 (20.1%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN.
Finally, Kylea Jane TINK (Independent) won with 51,392 votes to 45,726 for Trent ZIMMERMAN (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
North Sydney 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Lesley KINNEYInformed Medical Options Party
491
Michael WALLS (ON): 88 (17.9%)
Dajen TINKLER (LDP): 81 (16.5%)
Robert NALBANDIAN (UAPP): 70 (14.3%)
William BOURKE (SPP): 60 (12.2%)
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 49 (10.0%)
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 43 (8.8%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 41 (8.4%)
Victor KLINE (TNL): 36 (7.3%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 23 (4.7%)
2
Victor KLINETNL
922
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 304 (33.0%)
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 185 (20.1%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 144 (15.6%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 139 (15.1%)
William BOURKE (SPP): 71 (7.7%)
Dajen TINKLER (LDP): 53 (5.7%)
Robert NALBANDIAN (UAPP): 15 (1.6%)
Michael WALLS (ON): 11 (1.2%)
3
Michael WALLSPauline Hanson's One Nation
1,248
Robert NALBANDIAN (UAPP): 542 (43.4%)
Dajen TINKLER (LDP): 221 (17.7%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 209 (16.7%)
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 100 (8.0%)
William BOURKE (SPP): 86 (6.9%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 56 (4.5%)
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 34 (2.7%)
4
William BOURKESustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment / Corruption
1,380
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 387 (28.0%)
Robert NALBANDIAN (UAPP): 359 (26.0%)
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 275 (19.9%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 153 (11.1%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 123 (8.9%)
Dajen TINKLER (LDP): 83 (6.0%)
5
Dajen TINKLERLiberal Democrats
1,561
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 640 (41.0%)
Robert NALBANDIAN (UAPP): 579 (37.1%)
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 160 (10.2%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 107 (6.9%)
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 75 (4.8%)
6
Robert NALBANDIANUnited Australia Party
3,295
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 1,210 (36.7%)
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 1,159 (35.2%)
Heather ARMSTRONG (GRN): 544 (16.5%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 382 (11.6%)
7
Heather ARMSTRONGThe Greens
9,576
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 4,428 (46.2%)
Catherine RENSHAW (ALP): 3,892 (40.6%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 1,256 (13.1%)
8
Catherine RENSHAWLabor
25,587
Kylea Jane TINK (IND): 20,440 (79.9%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 5,147 (20.1%)
Votes after every count
North Sydney 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
Trent ZIMMERMANLiberal
36,956
36,997
37,141
37,350
37,473
38,113
39,323
40,579
45,726
Kylea Jane TINKIndependent · elected
24,477
24,526
24,830
24,930
25,205
25,365
26,524
30,952
51,392
Catherine RENSHAWLabor
20,835
20,858
20,997
21,053
21,206
21,313
21,695
25,587
–
Heather ARMSTRONGThe Greens
8,308
8,351
8,536
8,570
8,957
9,032
9,576
–
–
Robert NALBANDIANUnited Australia Party
1,730
1,800
1,815
2,357
2,716
3,295
–
–
–
William BOURKESustainable Australia Party - Stop Overdevelopment / Corruption
1,163
1,223
1,294
1,380
–
–
–
–
–
Michael WALLSPauline Hanson's One Nation
1,149
1,237
1,248
–
–
–
–
–
–
Dajen TINKLERLiberal Democrats
1,123
1,204
1,257
1,478
1,561
–
–
–
–
Victor KLINETNL
886
922
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Lesley KINNEYInformed Medical Options Party
491
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2019 Federal election
Trent ZIMMERMAN (Liberal) won North Sydney in 2019 with 57,398 of the 96,836 votes in the final count, beating Brett STONE (Labor) by 17,960 votes (59.3% to 40.7%). Zimmerman won on first preferences, with 52.0% of 96,836 formal votes (more than half: 48,419 needed).
96,836 formal votes7 candidates5 counts17,960-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 96,836 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, Peter John VAGG (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 1,249 votes were distributed: 517 (41.4%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 215 (17.2%) to David VERNON; 160 (12.8%) to Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS; 130 (10.4%) to Greg GRAHAM and 2 more.
On count 2, David VERNON (Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)) was excluded; their 1,875 votes were distributed: 979 (52.2%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 325 (17.3%) to Brett STONE; 283 (15.1%) to Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS; 209 (11.1%) to Greg GRAHAM and 1 more.
On count 3, Greg GRAHAM (Sustainable Australia) was excluded; their 2,170 votes were distributed: 664 (30.6%) to Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS; 618 (28.5%) to Daniel KEOGH; 602 (27.7%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 286 (13.2%) to Brett STONE.
On count 4, Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS (Independent) was excluded; their 5,402 votes were distributed: 2,260 (41.8%) to Daniel KEOGH; 1,695 (31.4%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN; 1,447 (26.8%) to Brett STONE.
On count 5, Daniel KEOGH (The Greens) was excluded; their 16,261 votes were distributed: 12,975 (79.8%) to Brett STONE; 3,286 (20.2%) to Trent ZIMMERMAN.
Finally, Trent ZIMMERMAN (Liberal) won with 57,398 votes to 39,438 for Brett STONE (Labor).
Where the preferences went
North Sydney 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Peter John VAGGUnited Australia Party
1,249
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 517 (41.4%)
David VERNON (CDP): 215 (17.2%)
Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS (IND): 160 (12.8%)
Greg GRAHAM (SPP): 130 (10.4%)
Brett STONE (ALP): 116 (9.3%)
Daniel KEOGH (GRN): 111 (8.9%)
2
David VERNONChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
1,875
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 979 (52.2%)
Brett STONE (ALP): 325 (17.3%)
Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS (IND): 283 (15.1%)
Greg GRAHAM (SPP): 209 (11.1%)
Daniel KEOGH (GRN): 79 (4.2%)
3
Greg GRAHAMSustainable Australia
2,170
Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANS (IND): 664 (30.6%)
Daniel KEOGH (GRN): 618 (28.5%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 602 (27.7%)
Brett STONE (ALP): 286 (13.2%)
4
Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANSIndependent
5,402
Daniel KEOGH (GRN): 2,260 (41.8%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 1,695 (31.4%)
Brett STONE (ALP): 1,447 (26.8%)
5
Daniel KEOGHThe Greens
16,261
Brett STONE (ALP): 12,975 (79.8%)
Trent ZIMMERMAN (LP): 3,286 (20.2%)
Votes after every count
North Sydney 2019: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Count 5
Trent ZIMMERMANLiberal · elected
50,319
50,836
51,815
52,417
54,112
57,398
Brett STONELabor
24,289
24,405
24,730
25,016
26,463
39,438
Daniel KEOGHThe Greens
13,193
13,304
13,383
14,001
16,261
–
Arthur CHESTERFIELD-EVANSIndependent
4,295
4,455
4,738
5,402
–
–
Greg GRAHAMSustainable Australia
1,831
1,961
2,170
–
–
–
David VERNONChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
1,660
1,875
–
–
–
–
Peter John VAGGUnited 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.
