Shepparton votes: The lay of the land ahead of polling day

The three frontrunners to win the seat are current member Suzanna Sheed, Nationals candidate and former mayor Kim O’Keeffe, and Liberal candidate and businesswoman Cheryl Hammer.

Ms Sheed was elected in 2014 and is hoping for her third term as the district’s representative, while Ms O’Keeffe served four terms as mayor of Shepparton, including during the pandemic.

Ms Hammer, who has been heavily involved in community organisations across the district, ran in the previous election, going down to Ms Sheed in 2018.

Tatura’s Liam Cowan and Undera’s Ian Christoe will be on the ballot for the Labor Party and Greens respectively, while Diane Teasdale is standing for office again, running for the Freedom Party.

Also running are Katherine Taylor of the Animal Justice Party, Sueie McGrath of Labour DLP and Alison White of Family First Victoria, all of whom haven’t made appearances on the campaign trail across Shepparton.

The Shepparton bypass, housing, alleviating the worker shortage, education and transport have all been big issues.

Last election, Ms Sheed recorded more than 35 per cent of first preference votes at most polling stations across Shepparton and Mooroopna, while Ms Hammer edged ahead at polling booths in Lemnos and Shepparton East.

Most booths in the north of the electorate such as Strathmerton and Picola — both in the previous state election and in the May Federal Election — tended to lean more conservative and have voted for the Nationals.

How much Ms O’Keeffe’s popularity in Shepparton and Mooroopna as mayor translates to a state bid will be a major factor in whether she can unseat Ms Sheed.

Statewide polling, for what it’s worth, has narrowed from projecting a Labor win to Labor and the Coalition neck-and-neck on two-party preferred, with support for the Greens in Melbourne and for independents and minor parties across the state.

Victorian Opposition leader Matthew Guy still believes the Coalition will be able to form government.