The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has decided to carry out a partial recount in the Goldstein electorate but declined independent MP Zoe Daniel’s request for a full recount. After Saturday’s count, Liberal candidate Tim Wilson emerged ahead by 260 votes, which prompted Daniel to seek a comprehensive review of the results.
While the AEC noted that Daniel’s request was given careful consideration, they determined that a full recount was unnecessary. Instead, they will re-examine the first-preference votes for both candidates and assess the informal ballots. The AEC stated that they are confident in the integrity of the initial counting process, highlighting that the thorough distribution of preferences had already occurred.
In their official statement, the AEC asserted that the recount will focus solely on revisiting the first-preference papers for Wilson and Daniel, without repeating the preference distribution stage. They reflected on the importance of this process in ensuring a meticulous examination of votes, particularly in light of corrections made during the previous rounds of counting.
The partial recount is set to commence on Wednesday and is expected to take up to four days to complete. Meanwhile, in another tight contest, Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian is provisionally ahead of independent challenger Nicolette Boele by just eight votes, which has automatically triggered a recount for that seat as well, anticipated to take up to two weeks.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the outcomes of these recounts are eagerly awaited by constituents and candidates alike.