One Nation Victory Confirmed After Recount Includes 81 Missing Ballot Papers

The conservative-leaning One Nation has won a recount for the regional seat of Narungga in South Australia after the discovery of 81 previously missing ballots from the state election.

One Nation MP Chantelle Thomas’s thin margin of victory has increased from 58 votes to 74 following the recount and distribution of preferences.

Narungga covers the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia’s north west, however, the 81 missing ballot papers was found in the seat of Stuart nearly four weeks after the election on March 21.

Acting Electoral Commissioner Leah McLay explained the recount took place to determine if the result would have differed if the 81 ballots were included.

“Of those, 1 was rejected and 4 were deemed informal. Of the 76 votes counted in a two-party preferred count, 46 were for Chantelle Thomas, One Nation, and 30 were for Tania Stock, Liberals,” said McLay in a statement.

“Had the ballot papers been included in the original count and subsequent recount, the margin in favour of Chantelle Thomas One Nation would have increased from 58 to 74.

“I have therefore determined that the result in Narungga would not have differed had the ballots been included.”

In response, One Nation national leader Pauline Hanson congratulated Thomas again.

“The recount for the seat of Narungga, South Australia, where a missing box of ballot papers was found has been completed,” Hanson said on Facebook.

“This confirms there will be seven One Nation MPs headed to the new South Australian Parliament, led by Cory Bernardi.”

The election was a major test on whether One Nation could convert months of strong polling into actual election results.

While the Labor Party won the South Australian election in a historic landslide, securing 34 lower house seats on March 21, a major story of the day was One Nation’s 22.9 percent of the primary vote.

The once-minor party surged ahead of the incumbent opposition Liberal Party’s primary vote, on 18.9 percent, but after preference votes, won four lower house seats compared to their five.