Upper house result will be critical for Baird's electricity plan

Control of the upper house will be crucial for Mike Baird's plan to partially lease the electricity network, but this result is more uncertain than who will form the government.

A tablecloth ballot paper enlarged by 19 micro parties, one of which, No Land Tax, has won the prized left-hand spot most likely to draw the donkey vote, adds to the drama.

While it may be a new reality for Canberra, minor parties have controlled the upper house of the NSW Parliament for two decades.

Horse trading with the Christian Democrats and Shooters and Fishers Party have become essential skills for the NSW government of the day to get its agenda passed into legislation. The Greens, with five seats, usually side with Labor.

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The previous Liberal and Nationals government needed both the Christian Democrats and Shooters on side to get the budget and signature legislation passed. This meant Barry O'Farrell grappled with controversial minor party demands, such as shooting in national parks, and foetal personhood legislation.

A falling out with the Shooters resulted in key legislation, including planning reform, being blocked.

The same fate potentially awaits any poles and wires bill. The Shooters have campaigned on opposing it, and the Reverend Fred Nile has raised concerns about job protections (he wants five-year job assurances for electricity workers under any lease), and Chinese ownership, and wants an inquiry.

Like many governments before it, Baird's team, if re-elected, is hoping to strengthen its arm in the upper house by picking up a crucial extra seat, or nine, on Saturday night.

But the luck of the No Land Tax party, a group of real estate investors backed by a six-figure campaign, in gaining the prominent left-hand position on the ballot, may work against this.

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Upper house result will be critical for Baird's electricity plan