Darryl Goodwin has a healthy lead in counting of first preference votes in the Lithgow City Council byelection to fill two vacant seats.
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It is the race for the second seat that is heating up as counting continues after the April 8 poll, with Colin Hunter and Deanna Goodsell very close in first preferences counted so far.
Mr Goodwin has almost 40 per cent of the vote according to the latest available update from the NSW Electoral Commission, with Mr Hunter just ahead of Ms Goodsell. He had 21.51 per cent of the vote, while Ms Goodsell’s was at 21.02 per cent.
It is likely preferences will decide the winner. As a fellow member of The Maree Statham Group, Ms Goodsell could be expected to pick up the lion’s share of preferences from Mr Goodwin’s votes.
Mr Hunter said he could not predict the way the preferences would fall.
“It all depends if people voted according to the how to vote cards being handed out (by The Maree Statham Group), or if they voted their own way,” he said.
“I believe a lot of people who voted for Darryl would have put me second.”
Mr Goodwin said he hoped to be able to help Ms Goodsell over the line.
“I think this result is a sign that people wanted change and thought I might be the right person to bring that change about,” he said.
“There was also a belief that we needed some younger blood on council, that we needed something different.
“I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed, because even though it looks like I’m over the line, you never know what’s going to happen.
“I would love to be able to pull Deanna over the line with me.”
Fellow candidate Greg Guest thanked his supporters on Facebook, but acknowledged he was out of the race after winning seven per cent of the first preference vote so far.
“Good luck to other candidates and let’s hope they are as independent as they told the electorate they would be,” he said.
“I can only imagine the response from the public if we are at the polls again prior to this current term ending.”
Counting is continuing and the distribution of preferences has not yet begun.
Returning Officer Jennifer Dash said the poll went very smoothly, with 5400 people pre-polling.
The NSW Commission has stated the final result will be announced by Thursday, April 13.
Kirsty Horton
A journalist with 15 years of experience, Kirsty Horton has been the editor of the Lithgow Mercury newspaper and a journalist for mastheads including the Great Lakes Advocate, Nambucca Guardian News and Moree Champion. She is now a member of ACM's features and special publications team.
A journalist with 15 years of experience, Kirsty Horton has been the editor of the Lithgow Mercury newspaper and a journalist for mastheads including the Great Lakes Advocate, Nambucca Guardian News and Moree Champion. She is now a member of ACM's features and special publications team.
