Voters have proved the Hunter is Labor heartland.
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Maitland’s Jenny Aitchison was not the only candidate to benefit from the swing.
Labor’s Kate Washington claimed the seat of Port Stephens, snatching it from the Liberals.
Ms Washington won 55.92 per cent of the vote to Liberal Ken Jordan’s 44.03 per cent, according to the most up-to-date election figures Sunday evening.
The swing was predicted to be about 19 per cent, a big result for Labor.
Former MP, the Liberal’s Craig Baumann, had held the seat on margin of 15 per cent.
He did not contest the seat after being embroiled in allegations at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, an incident which could have been a major factor behind the swing.
Cessnock Labor MP Clayton Barr safely kept his seat with 72.73 per cent of the vote to the National Party candidate Jessica Price-Purnell’s 27.27 per cent.
In the Upper Hunter, the race was still going with the National Party candidate Michael Johnsen more than 2000 votes ahead of Labor’s Martin Rush.
The Nationals gained 52.95 per cent of the vote compared with 47.05 per cent to Labor, with only 23,107 votes counted.
Pre-poll votes and postal votes are yet to be added to the count.
Labor looked likely to take the seat of Newcastle with Tim Crakanthorp at 59.20 per cent to Liberal Karen Howard’s 40.80 per cent.
The ALP picked up Swansea, and comfortably retained Wallsend and Charlestown.