The seat of Eden-Monaro and the second ACT Senate spot hold the most interest as Canberra region voters head to the polls.
Based on voting patterns, the capital is a Labor stronghold with the party currently holding both the Fraser and Canberra House of Representative seats by comfortable margins.
The southern electorate of is held by Gai Brodtmann with a margin of 9.1 per cent, while the northern seat of is represented by Dr Andrew Leigh with a margin of 14.2 per cent. Both members were first elected in 2010.
Despite the large margins, Liberal candidates Tom Sefton and Elizabeth Lee are upbeat about their chances.
Ms Lee admitted 14.2 per cent is a tough task for anybody.
“But at the same time, just because there is a difficult task ahead doesn’t mean you don’t give it a go, in fact you give it a red hot go,” she said.
It is a different story over the border in Eden-Monaro, a bellwether seat that has been won by the party that formed government at every election since 1972.
The battle for is tight, with the possibility it may lose its bellwether reputation this time around due to demographic shifts and political circumstances.
Eden-Monaro includes Queanbeyan and much of the New South Wales south coast, with thousands of people crossing the border into the ACT for work each day.
Sitting member and Minister for Defence Materiel, Mike Kelly, holds the seat by just 4.2 per cent.
He is up against seven other candidates including the Liberal’s Peter Hendy and Greens candidate Catherine Moore.
The electorate of is unlikely to change hands, being considered a safe Liberal seat with a margin of 8.7 per cent.
The electorate includes Goulburn and Yass, stretching from the ACT border north beyond Cowra, east to Picton and west to Cootamundra.
Current Hume MP Alby Schultz is retiring from politics, having represented the electorate since 1998.
Liberal candidate Angus Taylor is campaigning to take over from Mr Schultz, and is up against eight other candidates including Country Labor’s Michael Pilbrow.
Tight race for Senate seats
Given Labor holds the two ACT House of Representatives seats so safely, there is more political interest in the contest for the second of the territory’s two Senate seats.
These two places have always been split between Labor and the Liberals.
Public service jobs cuts has been the key issue for candidates during this campaign, with the Labor and Liberal parties at odds over which party plans to axe the most positions.
Labor Senator Kate Lundy is expected to secure the quota for the first of the two spots.
She admits the past year has been challenging for the Labor Party, but is optimistic of retaining power.
“It’s not over until the last vote is cast. We know there are a lot of people that remain undecided,” she said.
“They have a clear choice – they can vote for nation building or vote to go backwards.”
Liberal candidate Zed Seselja is campaigning for the second Senate spot, with Greens candidate Simon Sheikh expected to give him a run for his money.
Mr Seselja says the Senate race is close and he is not taking anything for granted.
“If there is a change of Government we need a strong Liberal voice within that Government I think that would be the best thing for Canberra,” he said.
Mr Sheikh is confident voters will not award the major parties for their plans to reduce the public service.
He says it is very unlikely Labor will win the election, making the second ACT Senate seat result even more important.
“What’s most important is that Tony Abbott doesn’t get control of the Senate as well,” he said.
“The ACT is the tightest Senate race in the country and the major parties should be rewarded for the way they have treated Canberra in the past and the way they will treat Canberra in the future.”
Other senate candidates include Dr Philip Nitschke who is standing for his Voluntary Euthanasia Party, Steven Bailey who is standing for Katter’s Australia Party, and Wayne Slattery who is representing the Palmer United Party.
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