THE race for the seat of Murray is looking to be even closer than the 2017 by-election result.
With 22.5 per cent of votes counted, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers' Helen Dalton is currently ahead with 39.2 per cent of primary votes, with Nationals incumbent Austin Evans at 33.7 per cent.
This equates to a 21.8 per cent swing against the Nationals at this stage of counting.
ABC is predicting a victory for Mrs Dalton in her third attempt at the seat, with a 21 per cent swing towards SFF.
On a two-party preferred basis, they predict 53 per cent of votes will go to Mrs Dalton, with Mr Evans securing 47 per cent.
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Voting has closed for the NSW election.
And all eyes are on regional seats like Murray where the fate of the Nationals sits on a knife’s edge.
There are 10 candidates contesting the seat of Murray.
But despite such a long list on the ballot, it's boiling down to a neck-and-neck race between Nationals incumbent Austin Evans and Shooters, Fishers and Farmers stalwart Helen Dalton.
Traditionally a conservative stronghold, the two years preceding the 2017 by-election saw a stark slump in Nationals support.
Where former Member for Murray Adrian Piccoli held the seat by a seemingly unassailable 22.5 per cent margin at the 2015 election, that buffer was torn to pieces at the polls with Mr Evans squeaking home with just a 3.3 per cent lead.
Translating to a two-candidate party preferred swing against the Nationals of 19.2 per cent.
This tight result was largely thanks to the surging popularity of SFF's Mrs Dalton, who came within three per cent of stealing the seat from the Nationals for the first time in 33 years.
And she is breathing down Mr Evans’ neck once again, with The Nationals holding their breath as they wait for results to start rolling in.
Candidates for the seat of Murray are Philip Langfield (Christian Democrats), Tom Weyrich (One Nation), Nivanka De Silva (Greens), Brian Mills (Independent), Helen Dalton (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers), Carl Kendall (Sustainable Australia), Alan Purtill (Labor), Liam Davies (Keep Sydney Open), Austin Evans (Nationals) and David Landini (Independent).
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