2026 Nightcliff by-election

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2026 Nightcliff by-election
Flag of the Northern Territory.svg
←  2024
7 March 2026
2028 →
Electoral division of Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
Registered5,940
Turnout3,638
 First partySecond party
 
Labor Placeholder.png
Suki Dorras-Walker cropped.jpg
Candidate Ed Smelt Suki Dorras-Walker
Party Labor Greens
Primary  vote1,0521,216
Percentage28.9%33.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg 3.9%Increase2.svg 11.4%
TCP 1,8981,740
TCP %52.2%47.8%
TCP swingIncrease2.svg 2.6%Decrease2.svg 2.6%
 Third partyFourth party
 
CountryLiberal Placeholder.png
IND
CandidateAnjan PaudelPhil Scott
Party Country Liberal Independent
Primary  vote738632
Percentage20.3%17.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg 3.4%Increase2.svg 17.4%
MLA before election

Kat McNamara
Greens

Elected MLA

Ed Smelt
NT Labor

A by-election for the electoral division of Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was held on 7 March 2026, following the resignation of Greens MLA Kat McNamara.

Contents

Background

McNamara resigned from the NT Legislative Assembly on 9 February 2026 citing "ongoing health challenges". [1] They [a] were the first Greens MLA in the NT, winning election in 2024 by just 36 votes.

2024 results

This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 Northern Territory general election § Nightcliff.[ edit ]
2024 Northern Territory general election: Nightcliff
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labor Natasha Fyles 1,46732.8−20.0
Country Liberal Helen Secretary1,06023.7+5.0
Greens Kat McNamara 98122.0+3.2
Independent Mililma May85819.2+19.2
Independent George Mamouzellos1022.3+2.3
Total formal votes4,46897.2
Informal votes1272.8
Turnout 4,59581.3
Estimated two-party-preferred result [b] [2]
Labor Natasha Fyles 2,90865.1−9.0
Country Liberal Helen Secretary1,55934.9+9.0
Two-candidate-preferred result [c]
Greens Kat McNamara 2,25250.4+50.4
Labor Natasha Fyles 2,21649.6−24.5
Greens gain from Labor Swing N/A

Key dates

Candidates

On 11 February 2026, the Greens announced Suki Dorras-Walker as their candidate for the by-election. She had formerly contested the seat of Fannie Bay at the 2024 election and is a former teacher. [4] The following day, the Labor Party announced Darwin councillor Ed Smelt as their candidate. [5]

The Country Liberal Party confirmed Anjan Paudel as their candidate. [6] Phil Scott, who was associated with the Voices of the Top End group and who stood for the Division of Solomon at the 2025 federal election, stated that he would run as an independent candidate. [6]

Results [7] [8]

2026 Nightcliff by-election [9] [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Greens Suki Dorras-Walker1,21633.4+11.4
Labor Ed Smelt 1,05228.9−3.9
Country Liberal Anjan Paudel73820.3−3.4
Independent Phil Scott63217.4+17.4
Total formal votes3,63897.8+0.6
Informal votes852.2−0.6
Turnout 3,63861.24
Two-candidate-preferred result
Labor Ed Smelt 1,89852.2+2.6
Greens Suki Dorras-Walker1,74047.8−2.6

Results by polling place

First preference results by polling place

Polling place Greens ALP CLP Phil Scott FormalInformalTurnout
Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Total%
Nightcliff pre-poll 81231.874929.354721.444817.52,55697.4682.62,62470.5
Nightcliff 33437.424827.816718.714316.089298.3151.790724.4
Urban Voting Darwin 928.11031.3412.5928.132100.000.0320.9
Postal 6138.64528.52012.73220.315898.821.21604.3

Results are not final. Last updated on 9 March 2026 at 12:24 pm ACST.

Two candidate preferred results by polling place

Polling place Greens Labor Formal
Votes%Votes%Total%
Nightcliff pre-poll 1,19246.61,36453.42,55697.5
Nightcliff 45150.644149.489298.3
Urban Voting Darwin 1237.52062.532100.0
Postal 8553.87346.215898.8

Results are not final. Last updated on 9 March 2026 at 12:25 pm ACST.

Notes

  1. ↑ Kat McNamara identifies as non-binary and uses they/them and she/her pronouns.
  2. ↑ By Antony Green.
  3. ↑ Kat McNamara overtook Helen Secretary in the distribution of preferences to advanced to the runoff.

References

  1. ↑ Hislop, Jack (9 February 2026). "Greens politician Kat McNamara quits NT parliament 18 months after historic Nightcliff win". ABC News. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  2. ↑ "NT2024 – Analysis of the Northern Territory Election". Antony Green's Election Blog. 17 December 2024. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "2026 Nightcliff By-election - Timetable". ntec.gov.au. Northern Territory Electoral Commission . Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Suki Dorras-Walker confirmed as Greens candidate for Nightcliff by-election". NT Greens. 11 February 2026. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  5. ↑ Hislop, Jack (12 February 2026). "Nightcliff by-election set for March 7, Greens and Labor announce candidates". ABC News. Archived from the original on 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 Hislop, Jack (16 February 2026). "CLP announces Anjan Paudel as Nightcliff by-election candidate, Phil Scott runs as independent". ABC News. Archived from the original on 16 February 2026. Retrieved 16 February 2026.
  7. ↑ "Labor's Ed Smelt wins Nightcliff by-election, taking Greens' only NT seat". ABC News. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Nightcliff By-election 2026". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "2026 Nightcliff By-election Results". Northern Territory Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Briggs, Casey. "Nightcliff By-election 2026". ABC News . Retrieved 7 March 2026.
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