IT was a landslide victory to Labor candidate Jodie Harrison in the Charlestown state byelection on Saturday.
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As The Star went to print, the Lake Macquarie mayor was ahead with 49.67 per cent of the primary vote - a swing of more than 20 per cent to Labor.
The Greens' Jane Oakley trailed on 14.09 per cent.
Independent candidate Luke Arms, campaigning for the first time, secured 12.25 per cent of the primary vote, just 708 votes behind Ms Oakley.
Jodie Harrison will maintain her role as mayor of Lake Macquarie while taking on the new role as a state MP.
Under state government legislation, a councillor or mayor elected an MP can hold both jobs until the next council elections or for two years, whichever comes first.
Cr Harrison could hold both positions until the local government election in September 2016, provided she keeps the seat of Charlestown at the full state election in March.
In Newcastle, the race was closer. Labor Newcastle city councillor Tim Crakanthorp had snagged 37 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of independent Karen Howard (26 per cent) and The Greens' Michael Osborne (20 per cent).
The Greens managed their best result in the seat of Newcastle yet, with one in five people voting for the party.
