Election wrap: WA councils confirm results

The introduction of optional preferential voting for local government elections has caused counting to be a slower process but some councils have announced their 2023 results.

This year’s council election implements an absolute majority rule, which has been part of the biggest state government reforms into local government processes in 25 years.

A candidate would need to receive 50 per cent of votes plus one, to be declared the winner.

The WA Electoral Commission said results for most local government were expected to be published today and the remaining tomorrow.

City of Perth

Incumbent Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has retained his seat in City of Perth with 56.5 per cent of the 5,777 votes received, beating Sandy Anghie and Will Leyland.

Mrs Anghie, who received 36.5 per cent of the votes, has bowed out of the council altogether after three years as an elected member.

She did not re-nominate for councillor.

Mrs Anghie started her mayoral campaign in May, months earlier from Mr Zempilas' confirmation of his intention to re-run.

UWA music graduate Will Leyland, 24, failed to secure either mayor or councillor positions in this election.

Catherine Lezer will return to council, alongside new elected members Bruce Reynolds, David Goncalves, and Raj Doshi.

Western suburbs

The Town of Cambridge will officially welcome its new mayor Gary Mack tomorrow.

Mr Mack has toppled Keri Shannon, who was elected mayor in 2015 and retained the role unopposed in the 2019 election.

Incumbent City of Nedlands mayor Fiona Argyle has retained her role for another term of four years, beating councillors and contenders Ben Hodsdon and Noel Youngman.

Ms Argyle received 50 per cent of the first preference votes from the 5,340 ballots received.

However, the absolute majority rule implemented for this year’s election meant she was only one vote short of absolute majority needed to win from the first preference votes alone.

Ballots for the contender with the least number of first preference votes were redistributed, sealing Ms Argyle's win by adding 281 second preference votes.

Regional

The preferential voting system can be seen at play in the City of Greater Geraldton election results, where deputy mayor Jerry Clune took over Shane Van Styn, the incumbent.

Mr Van Styn was initially ahead in the race with the most first and second preference votes compared to the other three candidates, seemingly en route to retain his position as mayor.

However, Mr Clune received more than 900 votes after the commission counted Mr Van Styn’s ex-fiance and fellow mayoral contender Tammy Croasdale’s ballots.

Mr Van Styn only received 286 votes.

In the first preference count, Mr Van Styn received 3,579 votes while Mr Clune had 3,108.

City of Karratha

Local brewer Dan Scott is the next mayor of City of Karratha, booting incumbent Peter Long after 10 years in the role.

The result comes despite Mr Long leading in the first, second and third rounds of counting while still failing to secure the absolute majority.

It was in the fourth round of counting where Mr Scott pulled ahead, receiving 1,318 total votes compared to Mr Long's 1,266.

Metro areas

Some councils are still waiting for results but have published interim first preference counts.

In the City of Canning, incumbent mayor Patrick Hall is expected to return to council with a disclaimer that an official declaration will be made tomorrow.

The city has been in the spotlight recently after Mr Hall claimed mayoral contender and councillor Jesse Jacobs was involved in stealing his election signs.

Former Greens MLC Alison Xamon has been declared the next mayor of City of Vincent, replacing Emma Cole who did not run for re-election.

Ms Xamon beat current Vincent councillors Ron Alexander and Suzanne Worner, and fourth contender Amanda Madden.

No results, interim or otherwise, have been published for the City of Swan, on the outskirts of the Perth metropolitan area.