LABOR has retained its key Ballarat seats with a strong swing across the state replicated in the city.
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Both Sharon Knight and Geoff Howard will gain another four years on Spring Street with big victories.
With leads of around 7 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, it is highly unlikely these results will change as more votes are counted.
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They will help form a new Labor government, with Daniel Andrews the new premier.
However, the seat of Ripon is still up in the air with Liberal candidate Louise Staley and Labor candidate Daniel McGlone locked in a tight battle which looks set to roll into next week before a final result will be known.
Ms Staley holds a 51.5 per cent to 48.5 per cent two-party preferred-basis lead.
With a huge number of pre-poll votes expected to be counted on Monday, some of the results will change slightly.
With Labor achieving a clear victory across the state, key promises such as the Ballarat Railway Precinct and Eureka Stadium look set to come to fruition.
However, other major Liberal commitments are now dead in the water, such as the relocation of VicRoads and an $88 million redevelopment of Ballarat Base Hospital.