Nationals MP Tim McCurdy responds to election result which saw the Liberals fail to match their Coalition partner

The member for Ovens Valley had a thumping win in his electorate with his primary vote up by nine per cent and the Nationals also retained Euroa with Annabelle Cleeland replacing the retiring Steph Ryan.

The Nationals have also claimed wins over Independents in the seats of Shepparton, Mildura and Morwell.

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The party's success was in contrast to the Liberals who failed to snatch a swathe of seats from Labor in Melbourne, a necessity to form a Coalition government.

"I can't speak for the Liberals, they've got their own issues to deal with but it appears they haven't learnt much from previous elections," Mr McCurdy said.

"That's something for them to look at but they're got a lot of soul-searching to do."

Mr McCurdy believed his success was due to frustration with Premier Daniel Andrews and recognition of his hard work.

He netted 53 per cent of the primary vote, more than double the figure of his nearest competitor, Labor's Zuvele Leschen who recorded 20.58 per cent.

In Mr Andrews' hometown of Wangaratta, Labor members Georgina and Erwin Rea continued a 40-year habit of handing out how-to-vote cards for their party.

"I think you've got to keep the flag flying and hope the climate might change," Mrs Rea, a retired social worker, said when asked why she continued to turnout.

"It's a bit of a thankless task but we've seen a change federally with an Independent."

Down the Great Alpine Road there was concern with voting forms having run out at Bright, Porepunkah and Wandiligong polling stations.

Mr McCurdy said he saw up to 200 voters turned away because of a lack of ballots.

The Victorian Electoral Commission confirmed a "limited number of regional voting centres in the North East" ran out of forms before being restocked before the 6pm close of voting.

VEC manager Trevor Deacon said blank sheets of paper were able to be provided for voting and they were deemed legal if they had been marked by a staff member.

"It's signed or initialled, so we know that it's the real thing, by the voting centre manager or election official," he said.

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