Final make-up of parliament revealed as Liberals win Ryde by just 50 votes

The Liberal Party has retained the seat of Ryde by just 50 votes after the state’s electoral commission finished counting most ballots on Saturday morning – two weeks since election day.

After preferences were distributed, the NSW Electoral Commission’s virtual tally room shows Liberal candidate Jordan Lane received 25,425 votes – or 50.05 per cent of the total two-candidate preferred count – while Labor’s Lyndal Howison received 25,375 votes – or a 49.95 per cent share.

The north-western Sydney seat was the last to be called after the state election earlier this month, and the result leaves Labor two seats short of the 47 required for a majority – and the Liberal Party with 36 seats.

The lower house also contains nine independents and three Greens.

Some election analysts had earlier called the seat for Labor on the basis of strong early results indicating a significant swing towards the challenger. But as more votes – especially declaration and absentee ballots – were counted, the seat was thrust into doubt.

Check counting – the process where election officials verify the first count and check all informal votes – has been completed in all booths and is ongoing for the small number of declaration votes.

NSW Labor said the razor-tight result meant they’d consider asking for a recount.

“Given the closeness of the count, in these circumstances it’s not unusual to request a recount,” a Labor spokesperson said. “We will consider our options over the coming days.”

In winning the seat, Lane succeeds retired senior Liberal Victor Dominello, who was the minister responsible for Service NSW in the previous government.

Lane, 28, became the City of Ryde’s youngest mayor when he was elected in early 2022. He was preselected for the state seat in November last year.

Labor’s Howison posted on Facebook on Saturday morning that the count showed “an incredibly close result in this election, with a small lead for the Liberals”.

She had not yet officially conceded, but said: “Ryde is my home and regardless of the final result, I’ll always fight for what’s best for our community.”