Liberal David Basham, Independent Lou Nicholson and the ALP’s Amy Hueppauff face a nail-biting wait today, as the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) counts the record number of postal and prepoll votes cast in the electorate of Finniss.

Approximately 60% of the electorate’s total votes were cast early, or via postal vote, and are still to be counted.

Of the 10 411 formal votes cast on Saturday, David Basham received 37%, Lou Nicholson 23% and Amy Heuppauff 23.5%.

The ECSA is currently calculating the current Two Party Preferred (TTP) vote as 55% for Lou Nicholson and 45% for David Basham.  This is predicated on Lou Nicholson finishing second in the primary vote. 

However, if the ALP candidate finishes second in the primary vote then Ms Nicholson will be eliminated and her preferences distributed.

This would likely enable Mr Basham to retain his seat, although with a much reduced margin from the 14.5% he took into the election.

In other Fleurieu seats, the Liberal’s Adrian Pederick is also waiting to see if he will retain the seat of Hammond.

Mr Pederick went into the election with a margin of 16.9%.

Independent Airlie Keen is currently polling 17.5% of the primary vote. Mr Pederick has 38.1% and the ALP candidate Belinda Owens has 22.7%.

The ECSA is showing the TTP vote as closely split with Mr Pederick on 50.1% and Ms Keen on 49.9%.

Nearly 50% of the Hammond vote had been counted at 6pm yesterday.

In Mawson the ALP’s Leon Bignell looks to have turned a 0.7% margin into a heathy 14% buffer.

Mayor of Onkaparinga wins Davenport for the ALP

Erin Thompson, the current Mayor of Onkaparinga, looks to have defeated sitting Liberal member Steve Murray in the seat of Davenport.

The ALP candidate was on leave from the position of Mayor until the election and is likely to resign from council shortly to take up her seat.

When is the Federal election likely to be held?

If you’re already missing the excitement of Saturday’s election don’t despair. 

The Federal Election must be held by Saturday May 21. 

The date must be set at least five weeks ahead of time so Prime Minister Scott Morrison must call the election by Saturday April 16.  

Lou Nicholson’s results in Finniss - along with the overwhelming success of ex-Liberal and now independent Dan Cregan in the Mount Barker centred seat of Kavel - suggest the Liberals will have a mammoth task ahead of them to unseat Rebekah Sharkie in Mayo.

Dan Cregan is currently on nearly 79% of the TTP vote, against the Liberal candidate’s 21%.