Mr Tehan saw his vote at Ararat’s main booth increase by almost four per cent but still lost it to Labor candidate Michael Barling by less than 100 votes. Mr Tehan won Ararat West by a few hundred ballots, which was enough to win Ararat overall.

Moyston was a comfortable victory for Mr Tehan, who received almost double the votes of Mr Barling.

Buangor had more than double the votes for the Liberals than Labor, and at Pomonal it was almost tripled.

Nationals incumbent Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad’s had his 2016 federal election victory settled early and decisively.

Mr Broad won every booth in Mallee where the major candidates got more than 500 votes each.

Mr Broad received the most votes cast on election day at Cohuna and St Arnaud.

Patchewollock, Nullawil and Woomelang recorded some of the biggest swings against Mr Broad.

Almost 35 per cent of people who voted for Mr Broad cast their ballots prior to election day at Horsham, Mildura and Swan Hill early voting centres.

About 34 per cent of Labor candidate for Mallee Lydia Senior’s supporters cast their vote early.

The results suggest that major parties will have to rethink their campaign strategies to cope with the statewide surge in people voting before election day.

Ms Senior’s best election day results were in Mildura, Stawell and Stawell West.