Hillary Morris was first name out of the box

Greens candidate Ms Hillary Morris was the first name out of the box when the ballot draw was held on Thursday, March 7, in the Gateway Centre at Gosford for the State seat of Gosford.

"I owe my husband $50 now,'' she said.

Ms Morris will be first on the voting paper and sitting Member Ms Liesl Tesch will be last.

Election manager Ms Leticia Muriwai conducted the ballot draw and asked if any candidate had any questions.

Liberal candidate Ms Sue Dengate asked if her name could be Sue rather than Susan on the ballot paper and was told the name on the paperwork was the name on the ballot paper.

Six candidates are standing for the seat of Gosford which covers the Woy Woy area but two did not attend the draw.

They are in order of their appearance on the ballot:

Hillary Morris, Greens

Patrick Murphy, Animal Justice Party.

Sue Dengate, Liberal Party of Australia

Larry Freeman, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers

Judy Singer, Sustainable Australia

Liesl Tech, Australian Labor Party.

Ms Tesch won the seat in 2017 in a by-election, with 62.5 per cent of the two-party vote against Liberal Ms Jilly Pilon with 37.5 per cent. She is expected to win this election.

Mr Larry Freeman who gained five per cent of the votes is standing again this election.

The 2017 by-election was held when Labor's sitting Member Ms Kathy Smith resigned from parliament due to illness. She died shortly afterwards.

Ms Smith won the seat in 2015 after defeating the then Liberal Member Mr Chris Holstein who won the seat in 2011 from Labor Member Ms Marie Andrews.

SOURCE

Website, 7 Mar 2019

The Tally Room

NSW Electoral Commission

Ballot draw, 7 Mar 2019

Leticia Muriwai,Gosford Electoral Office