By Marcus Uhe
Pauline Richards will once again represent the people of Cranbourne for the next four years as the vote count points to her securing a second term in Saturday’s state election, as of Monday 28 November.
Ms Richards won 47 per cent of first preference votes ahead of her Liberal opponent Jagdeep Singh (28.1 per cent) and Family First Victoria candidate Bradley Harvey (5.1 per cent).
Distribution of preferences saw her claim 58.9 per cent – almost identical to the count four years earlier (59.3).
Cranbourne South was the only polling booth to record results in Mr Singh’s favour on both primary and second preference results of the 17 locations in the electorate.
Like the neighbouring Narre Warren South, the result ensures red representation in Cranbourne will continue, having assumed office in 2002.
The result maintained Labor’s domination over Melbourne’s outer South East suburbs, with both Dandenong and Narre Warren North also remaining red, as the state romped to victory.
Bass and Pakenham could not be split as of Monday morning, while former Gembrook MP Brad Battin claimed the new seat of Berwick to maintain an element of blue in the region.
