Counting is underway in the NSW election as Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor's Chris Minns nervously wait to see where the cards fall.

Mr Perrottet is seeking a fourth term for the coalition, while Labor leader Chris Minns wants to end Labor's 12 years in the political wilderness.

Labor is favoured to secure a tight victory, leading the polls but there is a strong possibility the election could deliver a hung parliament.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the odds are stacked against a coalition victory.

"It would be an historic victory because it hasn't been done before, four terms," he told the Nine Network on Saturday.

"So fighting the tide of history is like fighting gravity. The deck is stacked against us.

"It is going to be Mount Everest."

With 93 seats up for grabs, whichever side can secure 47 will be able to form a majority 58th NSW government.

The coalition has governed for two years in minority and has 46 seats, while Labor has 38, with nine crossbenchers, including three Greens MPs.

If Labor wins six seats it could govern with support of the the Greens if it agrees to no more coal or gas projects, an end to logging in native forest and mandatory cashless gaming.

The leaders have led the charge on the campaign trail this week, visiting dozens of electorates in a frenzied blitz to shore up seats across the state.

The premier voted in Beecroft on Saturday morning, accompanied by wife Helen and daughter Celeste, as school volunteers sold cupcakes and sausages to punters.

"It's a very important day for the future of our state. There's a lot at stake", Mr Perrottet said.

"It's my team that has the plan to dealt with the current challenges."

Mr Minns voted in his ultra-marginal southern Sydney seat of Kogarah, flanked by wife Anna and their three sons, and promising a fresh vision for the state.

"Vote for a fresh start for NSW, for a team that's got a plan for essential services, for our schools and for our hospitals, who's going to stand up against privatisation and really put the people of NSW first," he said.

Both leaders have campaigned hard in vital seats in Sydney's west, where a third of NSW voters live and many electorates are on a knife edge.

The latest Newspoll showed Labor leading the coalition 54.5 to 45.5 on a two-party preferred basis, putting Labor on a path to claim the 10 seats it needs to form majority government.

Former NSW Labor premier Morris Iemma told the Nine Network he was "cautious but optimistic" about a Labor victory.

Former Labor NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt said Labor had "a mountain to climb" to win.

Earlier on Saturday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lent his support to Mr Minns' pitch for premier, campaigning in the Liberal-held seat of Ryde before casting his own vote at a booth in Sydney's innerwest.

A string of retiring senior Liberal ministers bailing out before the state election showed the Perrottet government didn't even have confidence in itself, he said.

"It's time for a change of government," he told reporters.

Former NSW Liberal minister Andrew Constance predicted it would be the night of the cross bench.

"We're going to see the largest crossbench I think, elected in the state's history tonight," he told Nine.

A raft of minor party and independent candidates could make the difference in the event of a minority government, with the Greens and teals vowing to hold the government to account on climate and other reforms.

Kingmaker Alex Greenwich, who is looking to win again as an independent in the seat of Sydney, said there had been a trend away from the major parties towards smaller parties and independents.

Sidestepping the question of who he would support in the case of a hung parliament, Mr Greenwich said it would be incumbent on the crossbench to provide the next government with stability.

© AAP 2023

Labor leader Chris Minns will lead his party to form the next NSW government, ending 12 years of Liberal National coalition rule in the state.

ABC election analyst Antony Green said there was an early two-party preferred swing of around 6.4 per cent.

"I can confidently say, the Labor Party will form government, we do not know whether it will be a majority or minority, but the swings are now consistent," he told ABC TV.

"The coalition is struggling to get above 27 at this stage. That is not going to turn around, Labor will have more seats in parliament."

Premier Dominic Perrottet had sought a fourth term for the coalition, while Mr Minns was determined to end Labor's 12 years in the political wilderness.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the odds had been stacked against a coalition victory.

"It would be an historic victory because it hasn't been done before, four terms," he told the Nine Network on Saturday.

"So fighting the tide of history is like fighting gravity. The deck is stacked against us.

"It is going to be Mount Everest."

Labor needs 47 seat to form a majority 58th NSW government.

The coalition governed for two years in minority with 46 seats, while Labor has 38, with nine crossbenchers, including three Greens MPs.

The leaders have led the charge on the campaign trail this week, visiting dozens of electorates in a frenzied blitz to shore up seats across the state.

The premier voted in Beecroft on Saturday morning, accompanied by wife Helen and daughter Celeste, as school volunteers sold cupcakes and sausages to punters.

Mr Minns voted in his ultra-marginal southern Sydney seat of Kogarah, flanked by wife Anna and their three sons, and promising a fresh vision for the state.

"Vote for a fresh start for NSW, for a team that's got a plan for essential services, for our schools and for our hospitals, who's going to stand up against privatisation and really put the people of NSW first," he said.

Both leaders have campaigned hard in vital seats in Sydney's west, where a third of NSW voters live and many electorates are on a knife edge.

The latest Newspoll showed Labor leading the coalition 54.5 to 45.5 on a two-party preferred basis, putting Labor on a path to claim the 9 seats it needs to form majority government.

Earlier on Saturday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lent his support to Mr Minns' pitch for premier, campaigning in the Liberal-held seat of Ryde before casting his own vote at a booth in Sydney's innerwest.

A string of retiring senior Liberal ministers bailing out before the state election showed the Perrottet government didn't even have confidence in itself, he said.

"It's time for a change of government," he told reporters.

Former NSW Liberal minister Andrew Constance predicted it would be the night of the cross bench.

"We're going to see the largest crossbench I think, elected in the state's history tonight," he told Nine.

A raft of minor party and independent candidates will play an important part in the next government, with the Greens and teals vowing to hold the government to account on climate and other reforms.

© AAP 2023

Labor leader Chris Minns will be the next NSW premier, with his party set to form a majority government, ending 12 years of coalition rule.

Labor is tipped to gain the 47 seats it needs to govern in its own right, with the ABC predicting as many as 50 seats going to Labor.

An early two-party preferred swing of about 6.4 per cent led to decisive calls by analysts on Saturday night.

"I can confidently say, the Labor Party will form government, we do not know whether it will be a majority or minority, but the swings are now consistent," he told ABC TV about two hours after polling stations closed.

"The coalition is struggling to get above 27 at this stage. That is not going to turn around, Labor will have more seats in parliament."=

Premier Dominic Perrottet, who became premier 18 months ago after Gladys Berejiklian quit amid an ICAC probe, had sought a fourth term for the coalition.

Deputy Labor leader Prue Car said the party had struck a chord with the people of NSW.

"We made a case for change, and we have made the case for change as a team that has done the work," Ms Car told the ABC.

"The campaign, thus far, is showing that we really were listening to people, and talking about the bread-and-butter issues that people are concerned about.

Treasurer Matt Kean said he was not surprised by the result, saying after 12 years of coalition government people were looking for change.

"We we were hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," he said.

A din rose among the sparse crowd at the Liberal Party election function at Sydney's Hilton hotel as the result became clear.

"Obviously as you can see, it's not looking as promising anymore in some of the western Sydney seats," the senior Liberal Party insider told AAP.

The party remained confident in northern Sydney seats where it faced strong challenges from independent candidates, he said.

"None of them are currently, on our count, look like they're going to get there (for the independents)."

The coalition governed for two years in minority with 46 seats, while Labor held 38 seats, with nine crossbenchers, including three Greens MPs.

Both leaders have campaigned hard in vital seats in Sydney's west, where a third of NSW voters live and many electorates are on a knife edge.

The premier voted in Beecroft on Saturday accompanied by wife Helen and daughter Celeste, as school volunteers sold cupcakes and sausages to punters.

Mr Minns voted in his ultra-marginal southern Sydney seat of Kogarah, flanked by wife Anna and their three sons, and promising a fresh vision for the state.

"Vote for a fresh start for NSW, for a team that's got a plan for essential services, for our schools and for our hospitals, who's going to stand up against privatisation and really put the people of NSW first," he said.

Earlier on Saturday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lent his support to Mr Minns' pitch for premier, campaigning in the Liberal-held seat of Ryde before casting his own vote at a booth in Sydney's innerwest.

A string of retiring senior Liberal ministers bailing out before the state election showed the Perrottet government didn't even have confidence in itself, he said.

"It's time for a change of government," he told reporters.

© AAP 2023

NSW Premier Dominic Perrott has called his opponent Chris Minns to concede defeat as Labor sails toward a majority government.

Labor is tipped to gain the 47 seats it needs to govern in its own right, with the ABC predicting as many as 50 seats going to Labor.

The Liberal party confimed Mr Perrottet had conceded defeat in a phone call to Mr Minns about 9pm on Saturday.

An early two-party preferred swing of about 6.4 per cent led to decisive calls by analysts on Saturday night.

"I can confidently say, the Labor Party will form government, we do not know whether it will be a majority or minority, but the swings are now consistent," he told ABC TV about two hours after polling stations closed.

"The coalition is struggling to get above 27 at this stage. That is not going to turn around, Labor will have more seats in parliament."=

Premier Dominic Perrottet, who became premier 18 months ago after Gladys Berejiklian quit amid an ICAC probe, had sought a fourth term for the coalition.

Deputy Labor leader Prue Car said the party had struck a chord with the people of NSW.

"We made a case for change, and we have made the case for change as a team that has done the work," Ms Car told the ABC.

"The campaign, thus far, is showing that we really were listening to people, and talking about the bread-and-butter issues that people are concerned about.

Treasurer Matt Kean said he was not surprised by the result, saying after 12 years of coalition government people were looking for change.

"We we were hoping for the best and preparing for the worst," he said.

A din rose among the sparse crowd at the Liberal Party election function at Sydney's Hilton hotel as the result became clear.

"Obviously as you can see, it's not looking as promising anymore in some of the western Sydney seats," the senior Liberal Party insider told AAP.

The party remained confident in northern Sydney seats where it faced strong challenges from independent candidates, he said.

"None of them are currently, on our count, look like they're going to get there (for the independents)."

The coalition governed for two years in minority with 46 seats, while Labor held 38 seats, with nine crossbenchers, including three Greens MPs.

Both leaders have campaigned hard in vital seats in Sydney's west, where a third of NSW voters live and many electorates are on a knife edge.

The premier voted in Beecroft on Saturday accompanied by wife Helen and daughter Celeste, as school volunteers sold cupcakes and sausages to punters.

Mr Minns voted in his ultra-marginal southern Sydney seat of Kogarah, flanked by wife Anna and their three sons, and promising a fresh vision for the state.

"Vote for a fresh start for NSW, for a team that's got a plan for essential services, for our schools and for our hospitals, who's going to stand up against privatisation and really put the people of NSW first," he said.

Earlier on Saturday Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lent his support to Mr Minns' pitch for premier, campaigning in the Liberal-held seat of Ryde before casting his own vote at a booth in Sydney's innerwest.

A string of retiring senior Liberal ministers bailing out before the state election showed the Perrottet government didn't even have confidence in itself, he said.

"It's time for a change of government," he told reporters.

© AAP 2023