Candidates Sarah De Santis and Louise Staley would have been incredibly nervous during the counting period, but there was also plenty of pressure on those involved in counting votes.

After more than 40,000 votes being counted, the final margin was just 15 votes, adding a significant amount of pressure onto Victorian Electoral Commission workers.

Ripon election manager Iain Maclean said he has been impressed by the efforts of all involved.

“It was quite an intense review of ballot papers, I have never been involved in a count like this before,” he said.

“All the staff in the office worked tirelessly with long hours and numerous counting teams. It has been a very tiresome week.

“We have left no stone unturned, no ballot paper unturned so we are very confident (in the result).”

All ballot papers for the Ripon district have been examined at least three times throughout the counting and recounting processes.

“There has been a high level of scrutiny on the Ripon election given the narrow margin of votes,” electoral commissioner Warwick Gately said.

3606 or 8.26 per cent of total votes in Ripon were recorded as informal. 

Mr Maclean said the VEC will look into why the number was so high this year.

“The commission does a survey which we have already conducted looking into the reasons for informality,” he said. “Ripon has always been a bit higher on informal votes but having 10 candidates makes it a little bit more difficult,” he said.

“Some people just put number one in one square, not realising they have to number all boxes.

“With the amount of candidates it isn’t as easy to fill out the paper so that probably contributed to higher informal vote.”