New figures provided by the Australian Electoral Commission yesterday show the ACT has experienced a dramatic rise in the number of first-time voters aged 18 and 19; and there are more of them proportionately than in other parts of the country.

The new AEC figures come as results from a Morgan Poll last night indicated that the Labor Party would win government in a landslide if an election were held now. In the first Morgan Poll held since this week's interest rate rise, the ALP is the preferred party, on 56 per cent, to win government, compared to the Coalition on 44 per cent.

Meanwhile, the principal of Galaxy Research, David Briggs, said the 18 and 19 age group was the most likely to vote against the Howard Government.

The political analyst and commentator, Malcolm Mackerras, predicted the shift in voting demographics in the ACT would mean Greens Senate candidate Kerrie Tucker would win the second seat behind Labor senator Kate Lundy.

He said polls showed Senator Humphries with 24 per cent of the primary vote but that Ms Tucker could gain the second seat with her own primary vote plus surplus quota from Labor.

The executive director of GetUp, Brett Solomon, said the figures should worry the Liberal senator.

"The younger voters are more likely to vote progressively and all the polls are suggesting that Humphries would have greater difficulty holding on to his seat."

The membership of GetUp, which encourages political engagement, showed a disparity in the number of ACT members, compared to other parts of the country. The make-up of the group reflected the Australian population, except in the ACT where membership was greater.

Kerrie Tucker, a former Greens MLA standing for the Senate for the third time, said there had been an effective campaign in the ACT highlighting the fact legislation was altered before this election to make enrolment more difficult for young people.