Nicolette Boele, an Independent candidate, emerged as the provisional winner in the closely contested race for the Sydney seat of Bradfield. She won with 56,231 votes, just edging out Gisele Kapterian, the Liberal Party candidate. Kapterian ended up with 56,192 votes, losing by only 39 votes. The election results mark a stunning turnaround. The Liberal Party had held this seat since the 1970s, but that long-term intransigence has finally come to an end.
The announcement leaves the conclusion of what has been an especially chaotic counting period, with the final result likely to depend on less than 100 votes. If the margin is this close, a recount will be required by law. Boele’s victory is especially impressive considering she lost narrowly to Liberal incumbent Paul Fletcher in last election cycle.
A Historic Contest
Nicolette Boele’s campaign grew significant momentum after coming close to winning the seat in 2022 on a very narrow margin against incumbent Paul Fletcher. This year, she only narrowly survived a seriously intense primary challenge from Gisele Kapterian. Though Gisele had been guaranteed preselection for North Sydney, seat boundary redistributions changed the political landscape.
Kapterian was a key organizer of the recent Liberal leadership campaign. Her engagement was essential to winning the leadership battle that resulted in Sussan Ley’s election as new leader. Similarly, her affiliation with the party has been critical to that role. She campaigned tenaciously to keep Liberal votes in their safe seat of Bradfield.
Boele characterized the days leading up to the election as “nail-biting.” This phrase summed up the particularly close race and the very engaged nature of the local electorate.
Candidates Acknowledge Each Other
In a show of good sportsmanship, both candidates – Crain joined by telephone – congratulated each other on great campaigns. Kapterian honored Boele in a statement on social media, thanking them for all the work that went into their campaign.
“I also extend my thoughts and consideration to Nicolette Boele and her hardworking team during this roller coaster count.” – Gisele Kapterian
Boele returned Kapterian’s appreciation, thanking her for helping to foster civility during what became a highly competitive process.
“Despite the close count Gisele has encouraged civility throughout. I thank her for being a respectful and formidable candidate.” – Gisele Kapterian
No matter how it turns out, both candidates are acutely aware that this election is a sign of changing voter attitudes inside Bradfield.
“No matter the final result, our community has sent a powerful message to the major parties: we are not the safe seat we used to be.” – Gisele Kapterian
Implications for Future Elections
These recent election results will ripple across the local politics for years to come, as well as national electoral strategy in upcoming cycles. Boele’s success illustrates that voters are more than ever hungry for Independent representation. This change stands to disrupt the long-standing, entrenched stranglehold political parties have on the region.
Antony Green, an electoral analyst, noted a more intriguing scenario. If Boele’s margin remains within 100 votes, it will trigger an automatic recount.
“If at the end of this process, if she’s [Nicolette Boele] the winner again or if the Liberal candidate is the winner by under 100 votes, it can be challenged for recount.” – Antony Green
Kapterian focused on the results’ clear indication of Independent candidates’ power and their ability to influence public opinion.
“Our votes mattered this time, and they will matter next time too. That’s the power of independents.” – Gisele Kapterian
