VOTERS in Lyne will choose from 10 candidates for the House of Representatives in the Federal Election on 3 May.
The final number was revealed at the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) office in Taree on Friday just before a blindfolded official drew ballot positions from numbered balls in a bingo-like cage.
A total of 1456 candidates were declared at public events across Australia on 11 April.
Of these, 1126 are contesting 150 lower house positions and 330 are vying for 40 Senate vacancies.
The AEC also revealed that a record 98.2 percent of eligible Australians (18,098,797) are now enrolled to vote, which represents an increase of 870,000 people (five percent) since the 2022 election.
The youth enrolment rate has also increased to 92 percent.
In order of how they will appear on the ballot paper, the candidates for Lyne are:
1) Tom Ferrier – Lorne Valley (The Greens NSW)
2) Digby Wilson – Taree (Labor)
3) Catherine Charsley (Trumpet of Patriots)
4) Colin Hughes (Pauline Hanson’s One Nation)
5) Alison Penfold – Wauchope (Nationals)
6) Jeremy Miller – Old Bar (Independent)
7) David Masters (Family First)
8) Keys Manley (Legalise Cannabis Party)
9) Stephen John Burke – Wootton (Australian Citizens Party)
10) Mark Hornshaw – Lorne (Libertarian).
About Lyne
The Lyne electorate is named after Sir Willliam John Lyne (1844-1913) who was involved in the Constitutional Conventions that led to the Commonwealth of Australia.
He also served in the cabinets of Australia’s first Prime Ministers, Edmund Barton and Alfred Deakin.
Lyne takes in the local government areas (LGAs) of Dungog and Mid Coast Council and part of Maitland, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Port Stephens council.
It has had only six MPs in the 67 years since its creation – five Nationals and one Independent.
Retiring Nationals MP Dr David Gillespie has held the seat since 2013.
By Sue STEPHENSON
