Party in preference play
Labor puts Liberals before Lyons in sign of pre-poll nerves
IN a sign Labor views Darryn Lyons as its greatest threat in the seat of Geelong, incumbent MP Christine Couzens is urging voters to put the ex-mayor last on the ballot paper.
As early voting opened yesterday ahead of the November 24 state election, Ms Couzens chose to preference Liberal candidate Freya Fidge ahead of Mr Lyons, who is running as an independent.
Although the Geelong electorate is traditionally a twohorse race between Labor and the Liberals, Mr Lyons’ candidacy has thrown the contest wide open.
In 2013, he was elected Geelong’s mayor with a 30 per cent primary vote, while a recent Addy street poll in the city’s centre found voters were heavily favouring Mr Lyons over other candidates.
Ms Couzens currently holds the seat with a 6 per cent margin.
Mr Lyons, a former Liberal Party member, is preferencing Ms Fidge ahead of Ms Couzens, but has told voters to put Geelong’s Socialist candidate last on the ballot paper.
Ms Fidge, meanwhile, has instructed Liberal voters to preference Mr Lyons ahead of other rival candidates.
In South Barwon, incumbent Liberal MP Andrew Katos is preferencing a range of independent and minor party candidates — including the Animal Justice Party — ahead of Labor’s Darren Cheeseman.
In return, Mr Cheeseman is telling voters to put Mr Katos second last on the ballot paper, ahead of only the Democratic Labour Party candidate.
The flow of preferences could go a long way to shaping the outcome in South Barwon, held by Mr Katos on a slim 2.9 per cent margin.
Meanwhile, thousands turned out at local polling booths yesterday to cast their vote for the state election.
South Barwon recorded the most voters (1282), followed by Geelong (1053), Lara (1032) and Bellarine (887).
The turnouts contributed to a record attendance for the first day of pre-polling, with more than 75,000 people casting their vote across the state.
Early voting centres are open each weekday in the lead-up to the election in Belmont, Moolap, Bell Post Hill and Torquay.
Visit vec.vic.gov.au for more information.