Nationals dominate by-election vote in Liverpool Plains and northern Upper Hunter regions

In what was predicted to be a tight affair, the Nationals look to have not only retained the seat but heavily increased their margin, and won back the support of regions that had their faith shaken by former MP Michael Johnsen.

At the time of writing, Nationals candidate David Layzell had gained more votes than Labor's Jeff Drayton at voting stations in Wingen, Murrurundi, Willow Tree, Wallabadah, Spring Ridge, Caroona and Quirindi.

He more than doubled the count of his political opponent in several of those voting centres.

Despite the Nationals' heavy focus on mining throughout the campaign, Mr Layzell appears to have done enough to convince residents in the north of the electorate that he will fight for agriculture too.

Last month he said he would stand up to NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro in order to get all 'zombie' petroleum exploration licences in the region extinguished.

New England MP Barnaby Joyce, whose federal electorate overlaps with the Upper Hunter, said he was looking forward to working with Mr Layzell.

"I met David Layzell through the campaign like most people have, I believe that he seems like a very decent person and a hard worker and his political career is in front of him now," he said.

While a win for the Nationals is something that pleases Mr Joyce, he expressed genuine concern for the state of the NSW Labor Party, who with 76.6 per cent of the vote counted had only gained 21.7 per cent of first preferences.

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"The Labor Party vote absolutely tanked and that's something the Labor Party has to ask themselves a question about," he said.

"Because it's not good for our democracy if they only get one vote in five."

He said it has too often pandered to the concerns of inner-city voters and believes the party will struggle to keep hold of its seat of Hunter at the next federal election.

Part of the reason Labor received such a small portion of the vote in the by-election is due to the number of Independents that ran - the most popular of which was Aberdeen farmer Kirsty O'Connell.

She fought it out with Pauline Hanson's One Nation for third spot in many of the previously mentioned towns, as her anti-mining stance proved to be popular with fellow farmers.

Ms O'Connell looks set to finish fifth in the election, which she is pleased with considering she only announced her intention to run on April 22.

Interestingly, she was being publicly supported by two of Mr Joyce's most high profile foes in former New England MP Tony Windsor, and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull told the Leader Ms O'Connell should be pleased with what she accomplished.

"It's really a very, very good result for an Independent only nominating a month before the ballot," he said.

"She's also put this reckless, unplanned way in which the state government is managing the coal sector on the map and I think this is an issue that will obviously not go away."

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