At the close of counting on election day, the incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) responsible for the western plains area have received strong support from voters with early indications they will both retain their seats.

The ABC's election experts have already called the results for the Dubbo Electorate, with the National Party's Dugald Saunders holding "a commanding lead over Labor candidate Josh Black."

Regardless of outcome in the west, our locally elected MPs will be part of a new era in New South Wales with the Labor Party to take over the leadership for the first time in a dozen years.

Dubbo votes

By close of counting on election night, Saturday 25 March, Mr Saunders had received 50.47% of first preference votes, with Mr Black the next nearest on 23.98%. In a two-party preferred scenario the initial count gives Mr Saunders 66.22% and Mr Black 33.78%.

So far 20,677 votes have been counted in the Dubbo electorate out of a possible 57,992 enrolled voters.

Even without the votes yet to come from the polling place at Narromine Public School, Early Voting Centres and Postal Votes, Mr Saunders holds what appears to be an unassailable lead.

Initial first preference vote count for Dubbo electorate, Saturday 25 March. SOURCE: NSWEC

Barwon votes

In the vast seat of Barwon, Independent candidate Roy Butler received 43.20% of the primary (first preference) vote with the National Party's Annette Turner the closest candidate with 26.22%. This gives Mr Butler 63.47% of the two candidate preferred count and Mrs Turner 36.53%.

Across Barwon, 18,078 votes have so far been counted from a potential pool of 53,735 enrolled voters. The initial counts from nine polling places along with Early Voting Centres and Postal Votes have not yet been included in the tally.

Initial first preference vote count for Barwon electorate, Saturday 25 March. SOURCE: NSWEC

The news on next door...

Neighbouring electorates show Independent Phil Donato well ahead in Orange (73.33%) and Independent Helen Dalton holding a firm position in the Murray (65.47%).

The Nationals' Kevin Anderson looks to be secure in the Tamworth electorate (64.61%) and Nationals Adam Marshall is romping home in the Northern Tablelands with 82.93%.

These percentages are based on the Two Candidate Preferred initial count of first preferences provided by the NSW Electoral Commission at around 11pm on Saturday 25 March.