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Labor makes Senate gains, and left-wing parties will hold a Senate majority

10 23
yesterday

On Saturday, Labor won a thumping victory in the House of Representatives, and this has carried over to the Senate results.

Only 35% of enrolled voters have been counted in the Senate so far, compared with 71% in the House. It’s likely that the current Senate count is biased to Labor, so Labor is likely to drop back in some states as more votes are counted.

There are 76 senators, who have six-year terms, with about half up for election at every House election. Each state has 12 senators, with six up for election, and the territories have two senators each, who are all up for election.

Senators are elected by proportional representation with preferences. A quota in a state is one-seventh of the vote, or 14.3%. In the territories, it’s one-third or 33.3%. I had a Senate preview on April 16.

Comments on each state are below. I disagree with the ABC’s view that Labor is “likely”........

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