Gisele Kapterian, the Liberal candidate for the Bradfield seat, has conceded defeat after a lengthy four-month dispute over the election results. Kapterian announced on Thursday that she would no longer pursue a court challenge regarding the validity of the vote count. This decision comes 145 days after the federal election held on May 3, where she narrowly lost to Independent MP Nicolette Boele.

In her statement, Kapterian expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, "After a final review of the ballot papers following the two different results in Bradfield, I am satisfied that, overall, the correct outcome has been declared." She acknowledged the complexities of the election process, saying, "With two different outcomes declaring two different winners, I’m grateful our electoral system anticipates and supports the need for further scrutiny through a statutory right."

The election results were contentious, with Boele initially declared the provisional winner by a margin of 40 votes. However, Kapterian later took the lead by eight votes after the final distribution of preferences. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) ordered a recount on May 23, which ultimately confirmed Boele's victory by 26 votes.

Kapterian had previously petitioned the Court of Disputed Returns, claiming that 56 of her votes were wrongly rejected while 95 of Boele's were incorrectly accepted. She noted that both sides had challenged the determinations made, with over 320 ballots scrutinized. Despite her initial belief that the challenges could have changed the outcome, she concluded, "Ultimately, though, I don’t think the final outcome would have involved enough ballots changing sides to overturn the result."

Boele responded to Kapterian's concession by reaffirming her commitment to serve the electorate with integrity. She stated, "Being part of this process has given me an even greater appreciation for the safeguards we have in place, and the value of every single vote."

The loss is significant for Kapterian and the Liberal Party, which has faced internal challenges since Sussan Ley became the first female leader following Peter Dutton's defeat. Ley has struggled to maintain unity within the Coalition amid disputes over policies such as net zero targets and immigration.

Kapterian reflected on the broader challenges facing the Liberal Party, emphasizing the need to address pressing issues like inflation, housing, and climate change. She expressed disappointment at missing the opportunity to contribute from within the party but indicated her intention to seek preselection again for the seat.

The AEC's electoral commissioner, Jeff Pope, highlighted the integrity of the electoral process, stating, "Australians can be confident that the AEC left absolutely no stone unturned when it came to scrutinizing this extremely close election result."

As the political landscape continues to evolve, Kapterian's concession marks a pivotal moment for both her and the Liberal Party in the wake of a closely contested election.