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.
Tony BURKE (Labor) won Watson in 2025 with 55,099 of the 82,834 votes in the final count, beating Ziad BASYOUNY (Independent) by 27,364 votes (66.5% to 33.5%). Burke led on first preferences with 48.0% of 82,834 formal votes and passed the 41,418-vote majority at count 5.
82,834 formal votes9 candidates7 counts27,364-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 82,834 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, Zain KHAN (Independent) was excluded; their 1,055 votes were distributed: 456 (43.2%) to Ziad BASYOUNY; 188 (17.8%) to Tony BURKE; 167 (15.8%) to Zakir ALAM; 80 (7.6%) to Jocelyn BREWER and 4 more.
On count 2, John MANNAH (Family First) was excluded; their 1,465 votes were distributed: 265 (18.1%) to Vanessa HADCHITI; 251 (17.1%) to Zakir ALAM; 231 (15.8%) to Elisha TREVENA; 213 (14.5%) to Jocelyn BREWER and 3 more.
On count 3, John KOUKOULIS (Trumpet of Patriots) was excluded; their 2,360 votes were distributed: 733 (31.1%) to Elisha TREVENA; 414 (17.5%) to Zakir ALAM; 397 (16.8%) to Jocelyn BREWER; 371 (15.7%) to Tony BURKE and 2 more.
On count 4, Elisha TREVENA (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 3,705 votes were distributed: 1,339 (36.1%) to Zakir ALAM; 956 (25.8%) to Vanessa HADCHITI; 551 (14.9%) to Ziad BASYOUNY; 520 (14.0%) to Tony BURKE and 1 more.
On count 5, Vanessa HADCHITI (Libertarian) was excluded; their 5,072 votes were distributed: 1,917 (37.8%) to Ziad BASYOUNY; 1,714 (33.8%) to Zakir ALAM; 1,152 (22.7%) to Tony BURKE; 289 (5.7%) to Jocelyn BREWER.
On count 6, Jocelyn BREWER (The Greens) was excluded; their 8,717 votes were distributed: 4,433 (50.9%) to Tony BURKE; 3,242 (37.2%) to Ziad BASYOUNY; 1,042 (12.0%) to Zakir ALAM.
On count 7, Zakir ALAM (Liberal) was excluded; their 17,512 votes were distributed: 9,036 (51.6%) to Ziad BASYOUNY; 8,476 (48.4%) to Tony BURKE.
Finally, Tony BURKE (Labor) won with 55,099 votes to 27,735 for Ziad BASYOUNY (Independent).
Where the preferences went
Watson 2025: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Zain KHANIndependent
1,055
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 456 (43.2%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 188 (17.8%)
Zakir ALAM (LP): 167 (15.8%)
Jocelyn BREWER (GRN): 80 (7.6%)
Elisha TREVENA (ON): 67 (6.4%)
Vanessa HADCHITI (LTP): 46 (4.4%)
John MANNAH (FFPA): 37 (3.5%)
John KOUKOULIS (CYA): 14 (1.3%)
2
John MANNAHFamily First
1,465
Vanessa HADCHITI (LTP): 265 (18.1%)
Zakir ALAM (LP): 251 (17.1%)
Elisha TREVENA (ON): 231 (15.8%)
Jocelyn BREWER (GRN): 213 (14.5%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 196 (13.4%)
John KOUKOULIS (CYA): 184 (12.6%)
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 125 (8.5%)
3
John KOUKOULISTrumpet of Patriots
2,360
Elisha TREVENA (ON): 733 (31.1%)
Zakir ALAM (LP): 414 (17.5%)
Jocelyn BREWER (GRN): 397 (16.8%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 371 (15.7%)
Vanessa HADCHITI (LTP): 246 (10.4%)
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 199 (8.4%)
4
Elisha TREVENAPauline Hanson's One Nation
3,705
Zakir ALAM (LP): 1,339 (36.1%)
Vanessa HADCHITI (LTP): 956 (25.8%)
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 551 (14.9%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 520 (14.0%)
Jocelyn BREWER (GRN): 339 (9.1%)
5
Vanessa HADCHITILibertarian
5,072
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 1,917 (37.8%)
Zakir ALAM (LP): 1,714 (33.8%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 1,152 (22.7%)
Jocelyn BREWER (GRN): 289 (5.7%)
6
Jocelyn BREWERThe Greens
8,717
Tony BURKE (ALP): 4,433 (50.9%)
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 3,242 (37.2%)
Zakir ALAM (LP): 1,042 (12.0%)
7
Zakir ALAMLiberal
17,512
Ziad BASYOUNY (IND): 9,036 (51.6%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 8,476 (48.4%)
Votes after every count
Watson 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
Count 7
Tony BURKELabor · elected
39,763
39,951
40,147
40,518
41,038
42,190
46,623
55,099
Zakir ALAMLiberal
12,585
12,752
13,003
13,417
14,756
16,470
17,512
–
Ziad BASYOUNYIndependent
12,209
12,665
12,790
12,989
13,540
15,457
18,699
27,735
Jocelyn BREWERThe Greens
7,399
7,479
7,692
8,089
8,428
8,717
–
–
Vanessa HADCHITILibertarian
3,559
3,605
3,870
4,116
5,072
–
–
–
Elisha TREVENAPauline Hanson's One Nation
2,674
2,741
2,972
3,705
–
–
–
–
John KOUKOULISTrumpet of Patriots
2,162
2,176
2,360
–
–
–
–
–
John MANNAHFamily First
1,428
1,465
–
–
–
–
–
–
Zain KHANIndependent
1,055
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
2022 Federal election
Tony BURKE (Labor) won Watson in 2022 with 55,810 of the 85,727 votes in the final count, beating Sazeda AKTER (Liberal) by 25,893 votes (65.1% to 34.9%). Burke won on first preferences, with 51.9% of 85,727 formal votes (more than half: 42,864 needed).
85,727 formal votes5 candidates3 counts25,893-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 85,727 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, Alan JORGENSEN (Pauline Hanson's One Nation) was excluded; their 4,178 votes were distributed: 2,539 (60.8%) to John KOUKOULIS; 702 (16.8%) to Sazeda AKTER; 544 (13.0%) to Tony BURKE; 393 (9.4%) to Bradley SCHOTT.
On count 2, Bradley SCHOTT (The Greens) was excluded; their 8,593 votes were distributed: 6,808 (79.2%) to Tony BURKE; 935 (10.9%) to Sazeda AKTER; 850 (9.9%) to John KOUKOULIS.
On count 3, John KOUKOULIS (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 9,515 votes were distributed: 5,521 (58.0%) to Sazeda AKTER; 3,994 (42.0%) to Tony BURKE.
Finally, Tony BURKE (Labor) won with 55,810 votes to 29,917 for Sazeda AKTER (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Watson 2022: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Alan JORGENSENPauline Hanson's One Nation
4,178
John KOUKOULIS (UAPP): 2,539 (60.8%)
Sazeda AKTER (LP): 702 (16.8%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 544 (13.0%)
Bradley SCHOTT (GRN): 393 (9.4%)
2
Bradley SCHOTTThe Greens
8,593
Tony BURKE (ALP): 6,808 (79.2%)
Sazeda AKTER (LP): 935 (10.9%)
John KOUKOULIS (UAPP): 850 (9.9%)
3
John KOUKOULISUnited Australia Party
9,515
Sazeda AKTER (LP): 5,521 (58.0%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 3,994 (42.0%)
Votes after every count
Watson 2022: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Tony BURKELabor · elected
44,464
45,008
51,816
55,810
Sazeda AKTERLiberal
22,759
23,461
24,396
29,917
Bradley SCHOTTThe Greens
8,200
8,593
–
–
John KOUKOULISUnited Australia Party
6,126
8,665
9,515
–
Alan JORGENSENPauline Hanson's One Nation
4,178
–
–
–
2019 Federal election
Tony BURKE (Labor) won Watson in 2019 with 53,518 of the 84,250 votes in the final count, beating Mohammad ZAMAN (Liberal) by 22,786 votes (63.5% to 36.5%). Burke won on first preferences, with 51.7% of 84,250 formal votes (more than half: 42,126 needed).
84,250 formal votes6 candidates4 counts22,786-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 84,250 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, Raymond ZENG (Science Party) was excluded; their 1,878 votes were distributed: 713 (38.0%) to Emmet de BHALDRAITHE; 431 (22.9%) to Tony BURKE; 284 (15.1%) to Karl SCHUBERT; 242 (12.9%) to Mohammad ZAMAN and 1 more.
On count 2, Dean WRIGHTSON (United Australia Party) was excluded; their 3,757 votes were distributed: 1,903 (50.7%) to Karl SCHUBERT; 784 (20.9%) to Mohammad ZAMAN; 630 (16.8%) to Tony BURKE; 440 (11.7%) to Emmet de BHALDRAITHE.
On count 3, Karl SCHUBERT (Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)) was excluded; their 6,709 votes were distributed: 3,386 (50.5%) to Mohammad ZAMAN; 2,117 (31.6%) to Emmet de BHALDRAITHE; 1,206 (18.0%) to Tony BURKE.
On count 4, Emmet de BHALDRAITHE (The Greens) was excluded; their 9,252 votes were distributed: 7,701 (83.2%) to Tony BURKE; 1,551 (16.8%) to Mohammad ZAMAN.
Finally, Tony BURKE (Labor) won with 53,518 votes to 30,732 for Mohammad ZAMAN (Liberal).
Where the preferences went
Watson 2019: where each excluded candidate’s votes went
Count
Excluded
Votes distributed
Passed to
1
Raymond ZENGScience Party
1,878
Emmet de BHALDRAITHE (GRN): 713 (38.0%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 431 (22.9%)
Karl SCHUBERT (CDP): 284 (15.1%)
Mohammad ZAMAN (LP): 242 (12.9%)
Dean WRIGHTSON (UAPP): 208 (11.1%)
2
Dean WRIGHTSONUnited Australia Party
3,757
Karl SCHUBERT (CDP): 1,903 (50.7%)
Mohammad ZAMAN (LP): 784 (20.9%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 630 (16.8%)
Emmet de BHALDRAITHE (GRN): 440 (11.7%)
3
Karl SCHUBERTChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
6,709
Mohammad ZAMAN (LP): 3,386 (50.5%)
Emmet de BHALDRAITHE (GRN): 2,117 (31.6%)
Tony BURKE (ALP): 1,206 (18.0%)
4
Emmet de BHALDRAITHEThe Greens
9,252
Tony BURKE (ALP): 7,701 (83.2%)
Mohammad ZAMAN (LP): 1,551 (16.8%)
Votes after every count
Watson 2019: votes held by each candidate after every count (– = excluded)
Candidate
First prefs
Count 1
Count 2
Count 3
Count 4
Tony BURKELabor · elected
43,550
43,981
44,611
45,817
53,518
Mohammad ZAMANLiberal
24,769
25,011
25,795
29,181
30,732
Emmet de BHALDRAITHEThe Greens
5,982
6,695
7,135
9,252
–
Karl SCHUBERTChristian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)
4,522
4,806
6,709
–
–
Dean WRIGHTSONUnited Australia Party
3,549
3,757
–
–
–
Raymond ZENGScience Party
1,878
–
–
–
–
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.
