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Jo Palmer looks set to be returned to her Legislative Council seat following yesterday’s upper house elections. According to ABC News, Palmer has established a strong lead in her electorate of Rosevears, while the contest in Huon is proving to be much closer.

The elections featured two key divisions: Rosevears in the north and Huon in the south. Palmer, who serves as the Education Minister, has garnered approximately 42.6% of the first preference votes in Rosevears, significantly ahead of her nearest rival, Labor’s Ben McKinnon, who has received just under 25%.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff has expressed confidence in Palmer’s victory, praising her hard work over the past six years. Palmer herself described the election results as overwhelming and humbling, reflecting on the anxiety of awaiting the vote count.

In contrast, the situation in Huon is much more uncertain. Incumbent independent Dean Harriss currently leads with 30.6% of the votes, but he faces stiff competition from fellow independent Clare Glade-Wright, who has secured 27.9%. Election analyst Kevin Bonham noted that Harriss’s slim lead may not be enough for a decisive win.

Vote counting will continue throughout the week, with several stages still to be completed. The Tasmanian Electoral Commission has indicated that the final results will depend heavily on the distribution of preferences, and it may take days before a clear outcome is established.