EDUCATION Minister Dan Tehan looks set to retain the seat of Wannon.
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As of 9pm and with 57.7 per cent of votes counted Mr Tehan has increased his generous margin by 0.83 per cent, with 31,919 - or 50.26 per cent - of first preference votes secured.
Labor candidate Maurice Billi has secured 17,270 first preference votes, or 39.76 per cent, followed by independent candidate Alex Dyson at 10.14 per cent, United Australia Party candidate Joshua Wallace at 6.32 per cent and Greens candidate Zephlyn Taylor at 6.08 per cent.
90 of 94 polling places in the division of Wannon have so far returned their count.
Celebrating with family and friends in his home town of Hamilton, Mr Tehan said he is feeling "humbled" by the outcome.
"It's wonderful and very humbling that I've had the voters of Wannon place their confidence in me," he said.
"You work hard and try to do the best by your community, there's a sense of pride but also a sense once again of a huge responsibility.
"I'm going to continue to listen to the electorate, work hard and deliver results."
He wished to congratulate all the other candidates who had a tilt at the top job.
"I want to congratulate all the candidates who put their names on the ballot paper here in Wannon," he said.
"To run for public office takes a huge effort and anyone who has the courage to put themselves forward deserves to be commended.
"I congratulate them all for the very fair, friendly but fierce campaign they all ran."
Nationally the numbers are too close to call, but the Coalition has performed strongly across the board.
"It seems like Scott Morrison's campaign has been an excellent one," Mr Tehan said.
"I always thought this election would be incredibly close and that we have put a very good case forward.
"It could be a number of days before we know the final outcome."
Mr Tehan isn't too concerned by the 25 per cent of the pre-poll votes still to be counted.
"We'll have to wait and see because we haven't seen so many pre-poll votes cast before, so it's all a little uncertain," he said.
"But pre-poll seems to go very well and be very positive to the trend of election day votes.
"We'll just wait and see."
The ABC has projected a Coalition victory.
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