The NSW Nationals are at risk of a devastating loss in the Orange by-election
after voters in the central-west electorate turned away in droves on Saturday.
The figures on the NSW electoral commission website on Sunday morning show
National's candidate Scott Barrett had won 29.5 per cent of primary votes but
Philip Donato from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) party, which has
never held a lower house seat in the state, is not far behind.
Mr Donato trails with 25 per cent of the vote but may claim victory thanks to
Labor preferences.
Orange has been a safe Nationals seat since the end of World War II and was held
on a 21.7 per cent margin.
The large swing against the Nationals comes after Premier Mike Baird
spectacularly backed down on his controversial greyhound racing ban last month
following intense pressure from coalition MPs.
In other by-elections on Saturday, Labor candidate Sophie Cotsis appeared to
have won the Canterbury by-election to replace former Labor deputy leader Linda
Burney who made the switch to federal politics.
She lead the two candidate preferred vote over the Christian Democratic Party's
Branka Kouroushis 77.6 per cent to 22.3 per cent.
Labor candidate Paul Scully also claimed victory in the seat of Wollongong.
