Greens member Scott Ludlam has lost his seat in Western Australia, calling for a recount after a closely fought poll for the Senate.

The recount will see who officially takes the fifth and sixth spots in the WA Senate, after being triggered by Mr Ludlam and a Sports Party member who was also knocked from contention. It could mean celebrations in the Palmer United Party are cut short, with one of the two seats declared for member Zhenya Wang.

In a complicated outcome for the Western Australian senate preferential allocations have led to the following six candidates being declared winners; three Liberal senators, two Labor senators and Zhenya Wang from the Palmer United Party were given the nod prior to Ludlam's request for a recount.

Mr Ludlam is known for his passionate advocacy of progressive internet policy and environmental conservationism.

Mr Ludlam has called for a partial recount after the AEC indicated the margin was just 14 votes. The minuscule difference meant preferences from members of micro-parties - the Shooters and Fishers and Australian Christians - went against Ludlam, and he was ousted from the seat he has held since 2007.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne praised the outgoing senator, saying: “Scott is widely respected in the Parliament and in the community for his passion, his wealth of knowledge and his calm and reasoned demeanour. And I know between now and when the Senate changes over Scott will be fiercely advocating for digital rights, keeping uranium in the ground, keeping the carbon price and getting big solar up and running in WA.”

Mr Ludlam says he is beginning to accept his fate, but has strongly alleged some sleight of hand in the process led to his upheaval.

“Everyone is going to have a close look at the numbers and see if there is cause for a recount,” he told ABC radio.

“But it appears they [PUP] have been elected on roughly half the vote of the Greens, and that is the sort of result our voting system throws up from time to time.”

“It is an elegant system being expertly gamed and manipulated,” he said.

“[Losing] is still sinking in, but I would love to keep working on the things I have been working on - and if you think politicians do a crap job, then you should just try it.”