The seat of Bendigo is currently too close to call.
The current Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters holds the first preference count lead, with 29,729 votes, while Nationals candidate Andrew Lethlean trails closely behind with 27,234 votes.
On the two candidate preferred for the seat, Mr Lethlean holds a slight lead over Ms Chesters, with 52.98 per cent and 47.02 per cent respectively.
The seat will come down to preferences as the vote continues to be counted.
Previously, the seat of Bendigo has been seen as a traditionally safe seat for the ALP, with the party holding the seat since 1998.
Ms Chesters has held the seat since 2013, and it seemed that she would be a shoe-in once again come the May 3 election.
However, redistribution in the Bendigo seat saw the gain of Rochester, a traditional Nationals stronghold town from Nicholls.
This brought down the margin held by the ALP to 11.2 per cent.
The current results coming in are seeing a strong swing against the ALP, favouring the Nationals.
Mr Lethlean has been heavily campaigning in Bendigo, with a reported $1 million budget according to the ABC.
Mr Lethan is also the first Nationals candidate to run for the seat of Bendigo in a number of years.
So far, both Ms Chesters and Mr Lethlean are staying quiet on social media as votes continue to be counted, however supporters are expecting the Bendigo vote to go into recounts, with the final result potentially not clear for a few days.
The seat of Bendigo is situated in Central Victoria, and also covers parts of the Macedon Ranges and surrounds, including Kyneton, Heathcote, Maldon, Harcourt and Castlemaine.
Other parties on the ballot at the 2025 federal election included the Greens Avery Barnett-Dacey, Liberal candidate Matt Evans and One Nation’s Heather Freeman.
If Mr Lethlean wins the seat of Bendigo, it would be the fourth Nationals seat in Victoria, including the seats of Mallee, Nicholls and Gippsland.
