Share this @internewscast.com
If you are living in an area that has become a corflute battleground, with images of local candidates of various colours on every second corner, then it’s likely you are living in a marginal seat.
These seats are often the target of political activity because changing the minds of just a few hundred or thousand residents could swing the results in favour of the opposite party.
For example, in Bennelong in Sydney’s north-west, just 1,954 votes in the two-candidate preferred count resulted in Labor claiming victory in 2022.
Thanks to a redistribution, Shaun Ratcliff, a political scientist from research firm Accent Research, said the seat is now notionally Liberal — on a 0.04 per cent margin — which will make it a challenge for Labor to retain.
“Certainly the seat could go either way,” he told SBS News.

But it’s not just the slim margin that makes the electorate interesting.

Ratcliff also points to Bennelong’s diverse population. It includes reasonably affluent areas such as Hunters Hill — the waterfront suburb actor Cate Blanchett once called home — but also many students who attend the local Macquarie University.
In addition, the electorate has a large multicultural population, with around one in five voters reporting Chinese ancestry.
Simon Welsh, director of research and reputation at pollster Redbridge Group, said if Labor retains Bennelong — along with other marginal Sydney seats such as Reid and even Parramatta — it will be because of younger, more educated and diverse voters.

Welsh will also be watching Melbourne seats like Menzies and Deakin, where a similar demographic may result in votes shifting from Liberal to Labor.

Welsh said other seats to watch where Labor’s vote could be in trouble are those in more economically stressed areas of Victoria, such as Hawke, Gorton and McEwen.
Both Hawke and Gorton are safe Labor seats, but the retirement of Brendan O’Connor in Gorton, combined with rising cost of living pressures, may bring these factors into play.

“Regional NSW also looks like it could be a problem for Labor, including seats such as Hunter and down the coast to Gilmore,” Welsh said.

What is a marginal seat?

The Australian Electoral Commission categorises marginal seats as electorates held with a margin of less than 6 per cent.
You can check whether your seat is considered marginal by searching for your electorate or entering your address in the interactive map below.

But experts generally identify specific key seats using analysis of polling and other factors.

Key seats to watch on election night

Redbridge has pinpointed 20 significant seats that could lead to intriguing face-offs between Labor and the Coalition, alongside other electorates where independent candidates and those from the Greens may emerge as strong competitors.

A table showing key seats experts are watching between Labor and the Coalition.

Key contests between Labor and the Coalition that experts will be watching on election night. Source: SBS News

Other seats where independents or Greens could be elected include:

  • Coalition facing off against independents in Kooyong, Goldstein, Curtin, Mackellar, Calare, Cowper, Monash and Wannon.
  • Labor is facing an independent in Fowler.
  • Labor is facing a Greens candidate in Wills.
  • Three-cornered contest between Labor, Coalition and the Greens in Brisbane, Ryan and Macnamara.

 For the latest from SBS News, and .
Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages. 
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Two Additional Hostage Remains Returned as Netanyahu Declares Conflict Persists Until Hamas Disarmament

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the war in Gaza would…

$10 Million Initiative Unveiled to Combat AI Bullying in Schools

Warning: This article contains references to suicide/self-harm. The government has announced a…

Albanese Set for First Meeting with Trump: Insights from Past Leader Encounters

After four phone calls and a brief encounter at the UN, the…
FILE- Britain's Prince Andrew leaves King Edward VII hospital in London after visiting his father Prince Philip, June 6, 2012. (AP Photo/Sang Tan, File)

Prince Andrew Loses Royal Titles Amid King’s Crucial Meeting with the Pope

It was the final straw in a series of controversies. Recent revelations…
Flaming chunk of suspected space junk crash lands on WA mine site

Unmasking the Cosmic Intruder: Space Debris Crashes into Western Australia Mine

At around 2 pm local time (5 pm AEDT) yesterday, workers at…
Missing Perth woman Michelle Leahy

Husband of Missing Perth Woman Issues Heartfelt Appeal for Her Safe Return

A WA family is desperately searching for answers after a much-loved mother…

Could Your Dog Be Prone to Addiction? New Scientific Insights Suggest Possibility

Dogs can become so attached to particular toys they display behaviour that…

From Controversy to Celebration: Donald Trump’s Unlikely Rise as an Israeli Icon

Even from a plane 150 metres above Israel, it would have been…
Residents in parts of Australia's east coast are expected to swelter this week with several states on track to experience record-high October temperatures.

Aussie Heatwave Alert: Record-Breaking Temperatures Set to Scorch Multiple States

Residents along Australia’s east coast should brace themselves for an intense heatwave…

Public Alert: Gold and Silver Prices Surge Dramatically, Potential Investment Risks Ahead

In recent days, hundreds have been lining up outside retailers across Australia,…
The wretched fate Anthony Albanese is hoping to dodge in just two days

Anthony Albanese’s Crucial Countdown: Can He Avoid Political Turmoil in Just 48 Hours?

When Anthony Albanese meets Donald Trump at the White House in a…
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Urgent Alert: US Reveals Hamas Plot Against Palestinian Civilians Amid Ceasefire Breach

The U.S. State Department has announced that it possesses “credible reports” suggesting…