NSW election 2019 LIVE: Votes quarantined after election day bungle

Numerous votes have been quarantined in the Labor-held seat of Strathfield after a volunteer working for a political party issued ballot papers to voters in an election day bungle.

The NSW Electoral Commission was aware that a person who was "not employed by the commission" had issued ballot papers at a polling booth "due to an administrative error", a spokeswoman for the commission said.

"The NSW Electoral Commission has taken steps to isolate the ballot papers issued during this time period," the spokeswoman said.

Richard Egelstaff, 66, said he flew down from his home in the Whitsundays, the second he found out his son would be handing out flyers for the Liberals at Randwick Public School.

But first, he made sure to pack his Green’s t-shirt and badge.

In a battle between generations and political views, 43-year-old former Liberal campaign manager Mark Egelstaff rolled his eyes as his dad smiled and stood next to him, handing out how-to-vote cards as an unofficial campaigner at the entrance of Randwick Public School.

“We are still friends, even though he’s been this way forever” dad Richard said. “Though, whenever we have a debate or a discussion over a BBQs, he shows that he is a Green at heart.”

Labor candidate Marjorie O’Neill says she feels “positive” but “focused” ahead of the election results, which may see a critical win in the marginal seat of Coogee.

Ms O’Neill is looking to knock out the Liberal Party’s Bruce Notley-Smith, who has been held for the past eight years.

It will take just a 2.9 per swing for the 32-year-old Waverley councillor and women’s rugby coach to become the first female member for Coogee.

As for today’s voters, the number one issue at the polling booths has been climate change, she says.

“This liberal government is totally out of touch and they are not prioritising it,” she said. “If you talk to voters here, it’s their number one issue and they want real action on it.”

While most voters will have a democracy sausage or two, Ryde local Cameron Last set himself an ambitious goal of eating 18 sausages at 18 polling booths.

“I targeted 18 sausages because that was the amount that was happening around my local area,” said the 14-year-old.

Cameron said he “managed to eat 10 before most places shut down the sausage sizzle” but could have kept going.

After an intense focus on stadiums and the M4, Opposition leader Michael Daley came face to face with the minister for Sport, Westconnex and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, while campaigning at South Penrith.

Mr Daley and deputy leader Penny Sharpe met voters in Mr Ayres’ electorate, held with a margin of 6.2 per cent, at Jamison High School.

Mr Daley said it was hard to gauge how voting was going so far today.

Amidst a healthy Labor and Liberal presence as well as supporters of the Greens, Keep Sydney Open, Animal Justice, Christian Democrats and Independent Christopher Brogan, there was one non-political group that was noticeable at a whole host of polling booths around East Hills.

The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association had plenty of members - in medical scrubs -  handing out flyers encouraging people to "vote for Ratios" and support Labor.

"On the wards during day shifts, we can see up to ten patients for two nurses," one nurse told the Herald.

"At night, it can go up to one nurse for about eight patients. In an emergency room, the ratio can be even bigger."

Last year, Labor promised to deliver better nurse-to-patient ratios and this year pledged to enshrine maximum ratios into law.

Coogee MP Bruce Notley-Smith said it had been a “challenging few weeks” leading up to election day, with Labor candidate Marjorie O’Neill looking to claim the seat that's been held by the Liberal Party for eight years.

The Member for Coogee said he felt “relaxed” at the polling booth at Randwick Public School today, despite “opening the paper every day and seeing I’m predicted to lose”.

Mr Notley-Smith today defended a post made on his Facebook page asking “when did kids start expecting to be chauffeured to school?” in relation to calls for a new high school in the area.

"A lady yesterday told me she couldn't send her child to a certain Randwick school because it would take too long to drive there. I asked why her child couldn't get a bus and was rewarded with a look of horror," the post said."When did kids start expecting to be chauffeured to school? Or is it that parents are afraid of their kids using public transport?"

While snacking on a democracy sausage, Mr Notley-Smith said the now deleted post “hadn’t been signed off” by him and was made by a separate member of his team.

A polling booth in the Central Coast has been closed after an elderly man collapsed and died.

Police confirmed the man died following a medical incident at the Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College polling station on Entrance Road in Bateau Bay. 

The polling booth was closed for several hours but the NSW Electoral Commission said it has since reopened. 

The Premier was in East Hills for a photo opportunity, as it is Sydney's most marginal seat.

Wendy Lindsay has taken over from Liberal MP Glen Brookes, who is not standing again, and has a slender margin of just 0.4 per cent over Labor candidate Cameron Murphy who is widely expected to win.

Ms Berejiklian thanked volunteers and met voters, leaving the politicking to Mrs Lindsay who said it was great having the Premier out supporting her. “It’s close,” Mrs Lindsay said. “It’s always been close. But I’m hoping the community get behind me and get us over the line.”

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is now in East Hills with Liberal candidate Wendy Lindsay. At Revesby Public School, the pair tucked into democracy sausages. 

No sign of Michael Daley eating a democracy sausage yet - perhaps he is still full from his lucky pie (which he likes sauce-free):