Labor wins Tasmanian upper house seat

Labor has increased its presence in Tasmania's parliament in a positive move for the party ahead of the state's general election.

The majority of votes from Saturday's partial upper house election have been counted with Labor's Sarah Lovell proclaimed winner in the southern division of Rumney.

The union organiser unseated Liberal-aligned independent Tony Mulder who has been in the Legislative Council for six years and had hoped to extend his term.

By the close of business on Monday the Tasmanian Electoral Commission said Ms Lovell had 11,540 votes and led Mr Mulder on 10,542 votes.

"The number of postal, express and interstate votes that could still be received is now less than 370 ... (so) Sarah Lovell will be elected as the member," commissioner Andrew Hawkey said.

Ballots were also conducted for the divisions of Launceston and the western Murchison where incumbent independents Rosemary Armitage and Ruth Forrest were elected respectively.

Ms Armitage narrowly avoided a challenge by high-profile former nurses union secretary Neroli Ellis, with a margin of just 821 votes.

The Liberal Party, which is in government, did not field candidates in any division for the partial election and Premier Will Hodgman is not worried by Labor's victory.

"I don't think we can read too much into what this might mean for the state election," he told reporters on Monday.

Tasmanians are due to go to the polls in early 2018.

The vote count from Saturday's election is due to be finalised on Tuesday with subsequent poll declarations being held later that afternoon and on Wednesday.