Three years ago after a second election loss, Tasmania's Labor leader Rebecca White left the role, saying the party needed change.
She was back in the job three weeks later when her successor, David O'Byrne, quit over sexual harassment complaints from a decade earlier.
On Saturday, Ms White will be hoping her third tilt at becoming premier defies opinion polls and turns Australia's only Liberal state red.
"We've got a big job ahead of us but we've got the right people to do that," she said at the time.
"We are working together, united in purpose to make sure that we represent our electorates."
Ms White's challenge appears equally as large, if not bigger, at this year's poll.
Tasmania's under-pressure health system, below average education outcomes and housing shortcomings should, in theory, have voters jumping across.
The Liberals have battled in minority for the best part of a year after two defections, which came after a host of retirements, including popular former premier Peter Gutwein.
And there are big questions over the government's handling of a scathing inquiry into child sexual abuse which could not make the findings it wanted to.
Yet Labor, which Ms White has led since taking over from Bryan Green in 2017, is failing to get traction.
The most recent EMRS opinion poll had support for Labor at 26 per cent; two per cent below their first-preference vote in 2021 which garnered nine of 25 lower house seats.
The preferred premier stakes are a lot tighter.
Ms White narrowly trails Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff at 41 per cent to 38.
Labor was under national administration for about two years after infighting plagued their 2021 campaign.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a rallying cry to the "true believers" at the party's March 12 campaign launch, conceding the election would be a tough contest.
Further complicating matters, Tasmania's lower house is being restored from 25 to 35 members, opening the door for minor parties and independents.
The target for majority is 18 seats.
Ms White, who grew up on a farm, represents the rural electorate of Lyons where she was the highest vote-getter in 2021.
She became the opposition leader in 2017 when Bryan Green resigned.
Ms White is open to governing in minority but has ruled out "doing deals" with the Greens, minor parties or independents to get there.
"I've been really clear that we're asking for an endorsement from the community for majority government but we'll respect the will of the people," she said on Wednesday.
Ms White, a mother of two, was first elected in 2010 after graduating from university six years earlier with a commerce and arts degree.
She has campaigned heavily on cost-of-living issues, boosting housing and health services, a "no deposit" first-home buyers scheme and capping power prices.
She also wants to renegotiate the state's deal with the AFL for a new Hobart stadium, but the league has said the contract is locked in.
Ms White said she has spoken to people at the AFL but won't say who.
Australian Associated Press
