He cast his own vote in Port Pirie, where there was a strong swing towards him, on Saturday.

Among the well-wishers at one

polling booth was a newlywed Port Pirie couple who were on their way to their reception.

Peter and Bobby Hardwick posed for a photograph with Mr Ramsey outside the Lighthouse Church, on The Terrace.

But there will be no “honeymoon” for the Coalition or Labor Party yet because the counting of votes is deadlocked around Australia.

Booths in the traditionally Labor-supporting city of Port Pirie voted mostly for ALP candidate Tauto Sansbury, but the gap to Mr Ramsey, the sitting member, was much reduced compared with last election in 2007.

In the booths of the former ambulance centre, Pirie South, Pirie West, Risdon Park East and South and Solomontown, there were 4185 votes to Labor and 4120 to the Liberals on a two-party preferred basis.

In 2007, the Pirie South, Pirie West, Risdon Park East and South and Solomontown polling places had totals of 4752 to Labor and 2857 to the Liberals on a two-party preferred basis.

Mr Ramsey had a 6.1% swing in his favour across the electorate, claiming an easy victory over Labor candidate Mr Sansbury, with 52 percent of first-preference votes. Mr Sansbury had hoped to become the first Aboriginal representative for the seat.

Mr Ramsey, who was “humbled” by such a significant majority, said it was a result of how hard he had worked since taking the seat in 2007.

“I hope a large part of the swing is people seeing how much I have done in the past three years,” he said.

“But I have worked, and will continue to work, for all – not just people who have voted for me.”

Mr Sansbury said the size of the electorate, combined with a shortage of resources, made it difficult for him to contest the strong Liberal area, but he was proud of his performance.

“It was difficult for me to come in when he already much more resources than I,” he said.