Barnaby Joyce more popular in smaller New England communities

But the battle booth-by-booth portrays an interesting picture of politics in the city of Tamworth and surrounding towns as support was not as forthcoming in some areas.

Once again, Mr Joyce was unable to claim a majority among Werris Creek voters.

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It's the hometown of predecessor and political foe Tony Windsor.

In 2019, the Windsor-endorsed independent, Adam Blakester secured 36 per cent of the primary vote and beat Mr Joyce's 28 per cent.

Mr Joyce was not as popular in his home base of Armidale where he only claimed 35.7 per cent of first preference votes on election day.

He still fared better than Mr Blakester who claimed just 25.7 in the university town.

Mr Joyce's pre-poll figure in Armidale, however, was much higher at 52 per cent, while his main independent opponent trailed with 17 per cent of the pre-poll.

Labor was able to increase its vote in New England where it a gained a 5 per cent swing and lifted its primary vote to 12.5 per cent.

Its candidate, Yvonne Langenberg, fared best at the Coledale booth where she secured more than 20 per cent of the vote and Mr Joyce couldn't claim a majority (41 per cent).

Julie Collins for the Christian Democrat Party was the least-supported candidate across the electorate and claimed just 2.2 per cent of the primary vote.

Ms Collins, however, found a small pocket of support in Calala, where her primary vote lifted to 8 per cent, on par with Labor at the booth.

Mr Joyce drew some ire on social media during the campaign after he posted a photo of a corflute sign he had nailed to a tree near Weabonga.

"Others may get the cardigans but I will get the hillbillies," he wrote in the photo caption.

It mattered little with Mr Joyce snaring 90 per cent of the 63 votes made at the nearby Niangala polling booth.

The incumbent claimed stronger majorities in the smaller rural townships like Walcha (79 per cent), Guyra (66 per cent) and Tenterfield (63 per cent).

Meanwhile, some booths in the electorate showed some liking for Pauline Hanson's One Nation on the upper house ticket.

More than 17 per cent of voters in Aberdeen gave One Nation their first preference.

There was a similar level of support in Westdale (16.8 per cent) and at the Peel High booth (13.6 per cent).

Across the state, the party drew just 4 per cent of first preference votes.

With about 55,000 votes counted by Monday afternoon, the coalition had 40 per cent of the senate vote in New England, followed by 18.4 per cent for Labor.

One Nation was the third most backed party in the electorate with its 9.4 per cent, beating the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (7.6 per cent) and the Greens (5.7 per cent).

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