The final makeup of the new Dungog Shire Council is not expected to be known until Thursday when the count of votes is complete.
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Returning Officer Colin Norman said on Monday afternoon that after the first preferences count had been conducted at Dungog, the votes would then go to Newcastle and be re-counted. From there, the votes would be computerised to enable the distribution of preferences so a final result could be known.
Mr Norman said while the day went fairly smoothly, it was a big day for Dungog.
“As well as the election of the councillors there was also the added complexity and added workload for both the election staff and voters of a referendum and a poll,” he said.
In A Ward, leading the vote count on Monday afternoon was Independent John Connors with 23.49% of the vote followed by Tracy Norman who was a councillor in the last term with 17.31% and Country Labor’s Jan Lyon with 15.29%.
Independents polled heavily in B Ward, with former Mayor Steve Low in front with 24.45% of the vote, followed by Greg Riley with 22.94% and Digby Rayward with 19.94%.
In C Ward, Independent and a former Mayor, Glenn Wall who resigned from council shortly before the election, was almost certain to be returned with 31.36% of the vote. Independent Robert Booth who was a councillor in the last term had polled 19.51% of the vote and Lisa Turner from the Country Labor Party had polled 13.97% of the vote.
The referendum question on abolishing wards saw 46% of voters in favour and 53.94% against the idea.
Whether the council should be reduced to seven councillors with the popular election of a Mayor saw 71.80% of voters agree.