The National's Dave Layzell has declared victory in the marginal seat of Upper Hunter.
Electoral Commission staff worked until 9pm on Tuesday to finalise the counting of about 6500 votes cast at the Singleton pre-poll booth.
Mr Layzell lost the booth by 587 votes to Labor's Peree Watson on a two-party preferred basis.
However, he won the Scone pre-poll booth and said he was confident of winning the Gloucester and Dungog pre-polls.
But Labor is yet to concede in what has become one of the state's tightest ballot counts.
"My scruitineers have done an amazing job. We are now only 381 behind, a 550 vote gain from this morning," Ms Watson said last night.
"I'm looking forward to the Muswellbrook pre-poll result tomorrow. I'm always positive.
Mr Layzell, who was elected as the Upper Hunter MP in the 2021 byelection, thanked the electorate for its support.
"I'm thankful to the people of the Upper Hunter for their confidence and for giving me another opportunity to represent them," he said.
"I'm still a relative newbie at this but the electorate has seen enough of me and have asked me to keep doing the work that I have started. It's a great honour."
A 2022 redistribution meant the Nationals lost a chunk of their traditional rural Upper Hunter heartland and acquired several Maitland suburbs. The party's margin was reduced to 0.5 per cent, making it one of the state's most marginal seats.
To see more stories and read today's paper download the Newcastle Herald news app here.
