The Liberal party has retained former prime minister Scott Morrison’s federal seat of Cook, with candidate Simon Kennedy winning well over two thirds of the vote.

The result is as expected for the safe Liberal seat, especially given Labor did not run a candidate.

ABC election analyst Antony Green called the result for the Liberals about an hour after polls closed at 6pm on Saturday, when Mr Kennedy had more than 70 per cent of the vote in a two-candidate preferred count.

Greens candidate Martin Moore had 29 per cent of the vote at 7:30pm.

An election night event to thank volunteers had been planned, but was called off in light of the mass stabbing at Westfield Bondi Junction, a Liberal spokesman said.

Earlier in the day, Mr Kennedy handed out how-to-vote cards at Burraneer Public School, joined by his wife and children.

The contest to fill the seat of the former prime minister and Cook MP has been largely uneventful with no Labor candidate contesting the seat.

Mr Morrison appeared briefly at his local polling booth in Lilli Pilli to shoot a social media video with Mr Kennedy, encouraging people to not forget to vote.

But Mr Kennedy himself cannot vote in the by-election, having moved to the electorate after the close of rolls on March 18.

It was a fact that NSW Liberal leader Mark Speakman appeared to be unaware of, as he made small talk with Mr Kennedy for the cameras.

“Have you voted?” Mr Speakman asked.

“No, not yet no,” Mr Kennedy answered, before changing the subject to his children.

Voter turnout concern

The Australian Electoral Commission had been concerned with voter apathy earlier in the week, with voter turnout down around 13 per cent from past events.

Some voters told the ABC they were keen to re-elect a Liberal in their seat, while others said they were disappointed there was no Labor candidate to vote for.

“It’s a shame that Liberal is really the only option here,” one voter, Lauren, said.

Liberal voter Leigh said she did not mind that Mr Kennedy was not a local.

“It’s preferable if it’s somebody from the area, but he upholds the values of the Sutherland Shire,” she said.

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley also appeared alongside Mr Kennedy at a polling booth, but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton was not there.

Mr Kennedy said Mr Dutton visited the electorate earlier in the campaign.