# Electoral results for the district of Lake Macquarie

Lake Macquarie, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, has had one incarnation, from 1950 until the present.

## Members for Lake Macquarie

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1950 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1953 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1956 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1959 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1962 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1965 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1968 | Jim Simpson | Labor |
| 1969 by | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1971 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1973 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1976 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1978 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1981 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1984 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1988 | Merv Hunter | Labor |
| 1991 | Jeff Hunter | Labor |
| 1995 | Jeff Hunter | Labor |
| 1999 | Jeff Hunter | Labor |
| 2003 | Jeff Hunter | Labor |
| 2007 | Greg Piper | Independent |
| 2011 | Greg Piper | Independent |
| 2015 | Greg Piper | Independent |
| 2019 | Greg Piper | Independent |
| 2023 | Greg Piper | Independent |

## Election results
### Elections in the 2020s
#### 2023

2023 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 29,093 | 57.5 | +3.0 |
| | Labor | Steve Ryan | 10,031 | 19.8 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | Joshua Beer | 5,091 | 10.1 | −5.5 |
| | Shooters, Fishers, Farmers | Jason Lesage | 3,203 | 6.3 | +6.3 |
| | Greens | Kim Grierson | 2,430 | 4.8 | −0.1 |
| | Sustainable Australia | Felipe Gore-Escalante | 761 | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 50,609 | 97.3 | +0.8 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,386 | 2.7 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,995 | 88.1 | −0.1 |
| Notional two-party-preferred count ||||||
| | Labor | Steve Ryan | 16,981 | 62.8 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal | Joshua Beer | 10,069 | 37.2 | −6.3 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 32,905 | 74.1 | +0.9 |
| | Labor | Steve Ryan | 11,492 | 25.9 | −0.9 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +0.9 | |

### Elections in the 2010s
#### 2019

2019 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 26,811 | 53.53 | +11.08 |
| | Labor | Jo Smith | 10,735 | 21.43 | −9.23 |
| | Liberal | Lindsay Paterson | 7,742 | 15.46 | −1.33 |
| | Greens | Kim Grierson | 2,517 | 5.03 | +0.07 |
| | Animal Justice | Laurance Taranto | 1,481 | 2.96 | +0.56 |
| | Sustainable Australia | Marie Rolfe | 796 | 1.59 | +1.59 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 50,082 | 96.48 | −0.28 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,827 | 3.52 | +0.28 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,909 | 89.99 | −1.00 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jo Smith | 16,390 | 57.37 | −5.79 |
| | Liberal | Lindsay Paterson | 12,180 | 42.63 | +5.79 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 31,164 | 72.11 | +11.42 |
| | Labor | Jo Smith | 12,053 | 27.89 | −11.42 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +11.42 | |

#### 2015

2015 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 20,251 | 42.5 | +1.1 |
| | Labor | Melissa Cleary | 14,625 | 30.7 | +10.2 |
| | Liberal | Daniel Collard | 8,007 | 16.8 | −10.6 |
| | Greens | Ivan Macfadyen | 2,363 | 5.0 | −1.7 |
| | Animal Justice | Susan Strain | 1,143 | 2.4 | +2.4 |
| | Christian Democrats | Kim Gritten | 898 | 1.9 | −0.9 |
| | No Land Tax | Andrew Coroneo | 412 | 0.9 | +0.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 47,699 | 96.8 | +0.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,596 | 3.2 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,295 | 91.0 | −1.4 |
| Notional two-party-preferred count ||||||
| | Labor | Melissa Cleary | 19,309 | 63.2 | +20.6 |
| | Liberal | Daniel Collard | 11,262 | 36.8 | −20.6 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 24,152 | 60.7 | −3.9 |
| | Labor | Melissa Cleary | 15,646 | 39.3 | +39.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | −3.9 | |

#### 2011

2011 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 19,678 | 43.7 | +13.4 |
| | Liberal | John McDonald | 12,644 | 28.1 | +8.6 |
| | Labor | Marcus Mariani | 8,385 | 18.6 | −21.9 |
| | Greens | Charmian Eckersley | 3,094 | 6.9 | +1.1 |
| | Christian Democrats | Kim Gritten | 1,269 | 2.8 | +0.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 45,070 | 97.0 | −0.7 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,392 | 3.0 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,462 | 93.4 | |
| Notional two-party-preferred count ||||||
| | Liberal | John McDonald | 18,147 | 59.4 | +24.4 |
| | Labor | Marcus Mariani | 12,414 | 40.6 | −24.4 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 25,356 | 64.9 | +14.7 |
| | Liberal | John McDonald | 13,733 | 35.1 | +35.1 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +14.7 | |

### Elections in the 2000s
#### 2007

2007 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 17,290 | 40.5 | −11.7 |
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 12,917 | 30.3 | +30.3 |
| | Liberal | Ken Paxinos | 8,310 | 19.5 | −13.7 |
| | Greens | Suzanne Pritchard | 2,441 | 5.7 | −2.5 |
| | Christian Democrats | Rex Morgan | 921 | 2.2 | +1.9 |
| | Against Further Immigration | Leonard Hodge | 770 | 1.8 | −1.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 42,649 | 97.7 | +0.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,005 | 2.3 | −0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,654 | 93.1 | |
| Notional two-party-preferred count ||||||
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 20,954 | 65.0 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal | Ken Paxinos | 11,292 | 35.0 | −3.4 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Greg Piper | 18,654 | 50.1 | +50.1 |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 18,548 | 49.9 | −11.7 |
| | Independent gain from Labor | Independent gain from Labor | Swing | +11.7 | |

#### 2003

2003 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 23,520 | 54.9 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal | Michael Chamberlain | 13,138 | 30.7 | +8.3 |
| | Greens | Howard Morrison | 3,539 | 8.3 | +3.2 |
| | Against Further Immigration | Leonard Hodge | 1,329 | 3.1 | +0.9 |
| | One Nation | Trevor Gander | 1,298 | 3.0 | −9.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 42,824 | 97.5 | −0.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,114 | 2.5 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,938 | 93.5 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 25,427 | 64.5 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | Michael Chamberlain | 14,016 | 35.5 | +4.7 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −4.7 | |

### Elections in the 1990s
#### 1999

1999 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 22,821 | 54.8 | −6.1 |
| | Liberal | Don Payne | 9,333 | 22.4 | −8.8 |
| | One Nation | Robert Johnson | 5,073 | 12.2 | +12.2 |
| | Greens | David Blyth | 2,130 | 5.1 | +5.1 |
| | Christian Democrats | Ros Gourlay | 1,370 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| | Against Further Immigration | Bob Boulton | 912 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 41,639 | 97.9 | +3.3 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 898 | 2.1 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,537 | 94.4 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 25,065 | 69.2 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal | Don Payne | 11,134 | 30.8 | −4.1 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +4.1 | |

#### 1995

1995 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 20,723 | 60.1 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal | Laurie Brewster | 10,756 | 31.2 | +3.3 |
| | Democrats | Lyn Godfrey | 3,020 | 8.8 | +1.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 34,499 | 94.9 | +3.2 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,865 | 5.1 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,364 | 94.6 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 21,864 | 64.8 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | Laurie Brewster | 11,877 | 35.2 | −2.1 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +2.1 | |

#### 1991

1991 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 16,726 | 53.3 | +11.4 |
| | Liberal | Cameron Phillips | 8,738 | 27.9 | +3.5 |
| | Independent | Alan Davis | 2,878 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| | Democrats | Lyla Koelink | 2,154 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| | Call to Australia | Margaret Neale | 874 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 31,370 | 91.6 | −5.8 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,865 | 8.4 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,235 | 94.0 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jeff Hunter | 18,483 | 62.7 | +5.9 |
| | Liberal | Cameron Phillips | 10,980 | 37.3 | −5.9 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +5.9 | |

### Elections in the 1980s
#### 1988

1988 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 12,260 | 40.4 | −21.2 |
| | Liberal | Val Samuels | 7,131 | 23.5 | −6.9 |
| | Independent | Bill Jones | 6,306 | 20.8 | +20.8 |
| | Independent | Walt Edwards | 3,169 | 10.4 | +10.4 |
| | Independent | Ron Fennell | 1,510 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 30,376 | 97.5 | −0.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 777 | 2.5 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,153 | 94.7 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 15,089 | 56.4 | −9.3 |
| | Liberal | Val Samuels | 11,648 | 43.6 | +9.3 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −9.3 | |

#### 1984

1984 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 20,145 | 57.8 | −8.7 |
| | Liberal | Edward Hayes | 11,694 | 33.5 | +9.3 |
| | Democrats | Edwina Wilson | 3,025 | 8.7 | −0.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 34,864 | 97.9 | +0.2 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 761 | 2.1 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,625 | 93.6 | +0.7 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | | 62.2 | −9.5 |
| | Liberal | Edward Hayes | | 37.8 | +9.5 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −9.5 | |

#### 1981

1981 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 21,165 | 66.5 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | Judith Ball | 7,716 | 24.2 | −0.1 |
| | Democrats | Genady Levitch | 2,968 | 9.3 | +4.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 31,849 | 97.7 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 734 | 2.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,583 | 92.9 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 22,134 | 71.7 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal | Judith Ball | 8,747 | 28.3 | +1.8 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −1.8 | |

### Elections in the 1970s
#### 1978

1978 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 22,403 | 71.2 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal | Oliver Fennell | 7,633 | 24.3 | −11.3 |
| | Democrats | Lyn Godfrey | 1,424 | 4.5 | +4.5 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 31,460 | 98.0 | −0.5 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 627 | 2.0 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,087 | 93.7 | −0.7 |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 23,115 | 73.5 | +9.1 |
| | Liberal | Oliver Fennell | 8,345 | 26.5 | −9.1 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +9.1 | |

#### 1976

1976 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 19,022 | 64.4 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal | Oliver Fennell | 10,521 | 35.6 | +35.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 29,543 | 98.5 | +1.1 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 449 | 1.5 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 29,992 | 94.4 | +0.6 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −8.9 | |

#### 1973

1973 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 17,355 | 66.0 | +1.1 |
| | Independent | Colin Fisher | 5,102 | 19.4 | +19.4 |
| | Democratic Labor | Donald Richards | 3,851 | 14.6 | +14.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 26,308 | 97.4 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 701 | 2.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,009 | 93.8 | |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 19,281 | 73.2 | +8.3 |
| | Independent | Colin Fisher | 7,027 | 26.8 | +26.8 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +8.3 | |

#### 1971

1971 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 17,754 | 64.9 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | Richard Bevan | 9,589 | 35.1 | −0.5 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 27,343 | 98.4 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 438 | 1.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,781 | 95.4 | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | +0.5 | |

### Elections in the 1960s
#### 1969 by-election

1969 Lake Macquarie by-election Saturday 14 February :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Merv Hunter | 13,252 | 64.1 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal | Edwin Chiplin | 6,071 | 29.3 | −6.3 |
| | Independent | Thomas Pendlebury | 1,072 | 5.2 | |
| | Independent | Colin Fisher | 296 | 1.4 | |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 20,691 | 98.4 | +0.7 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 335 | 1.6 | −0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,026 | 89.0 | −5.4 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | | |

#### 1968

1968 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 13,608 | 64.4 | −7.9 |
| | Liberal | Malcolm Blackshaw | 7,517 | 35.6 | +7.9 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 21,125 | 97.7 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 496 | 2.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,621 | 94.4 | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −7.9 | |

#### 1965

1968 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 16,495 | 72.3 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal | John Wassell | 6,306 | 27.7 | +3.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 22,801 | 98.2 | −0.2 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 418 | 1.8 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,219 | 94.7 | +0.3 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −3.3 | |

#### 1962

1962 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 15,316 | 75.6 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal | Reuben Hull | 4,941 | 24.4 | +24.4 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 20,257 | 98.4 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 320 | 1.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,577 | 94.4 | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1950s
#### 1959

1959 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 15,303 | 88.7 |
| | Communist | John Tapp | 1,942 | 11.3 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 17,245 | 95.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 836 | 4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,081 | 94.8 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | |

#### 1956

1956 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 14,321 | 69.2 | −30.8 |
| | Liberal | Edward Farrell | 4,756 | 23.0 | +23.0 |
| | Communist | William Quinn | 1,619 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 20,696 | 98.5 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 311 | 1.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,007 | 95.3 | |
| Two-party-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 15,382 | 74.8 | −25.2 |
| | Liberal | Edward Farrell | 5,314 | 25.2 | +25.2 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

#### 1953

1953 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | unopposed | | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | | | |

#### 1950

1950 New South Wales state election: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labor | Jim Simpson | 12,805 | 71.3 |
| | Liberal | John Wilkins | 5,154 | 28.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 17,959 | 97.9 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 377 | 2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 18,336 | 93.6 |
| | Labor notional hold | Labor notional hold | | |