Herbert recount set to continue

A recount is expected to continue on Sunday in the last federal seat of Herbert, where Labor is holding on to a narrow lead.

Labor's Cathy O'Toole led sitting coalition MP Ewen Jones by nine votes in the contest for the Townsville-based north Queensland seat, as of around 6pm Saturday.

But it appears likely Labor or the Liberal National Party will end up taking the final result to the Court of Disputed Returns arguing for a fresh election.

It's been reported as many as 85 of the 628 army members who the ADF says did not cast votes while they were on Exercise Hamel in South Australia could have been personnel from Townsville.

There have also been accusations of absentee ballot papers not being made available to Herbert voters in other north Queensland seats.

If the coalition can retain Herbert, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will have 77 seats in the 150-seat parliament, allowing the government to appoint a speaker while retaining an absolute majority.