Lismore City Council election voting results in big crowds at booths

Fixing Lismore’s roads is leading mayoral candidate Steve Krieg’s top priority after he claimed victory in the 2021 Lismore City Council election. See the updated results here.

Mayoral candidate Steve Krieg says he is overwhelmed by the support received at the ballot booth as he prepares to take the top job from Lismore City Council Mayor Vanessa Ekins.

“It looks like we have definitely won the mayor’s race, which is really good,” Mr Krieg said during a celebration party at Lismore Heights Sports Club on Saturday night.

“I’m glad that we have been given a mandate by the people of Lismore City Council to actually get in and do what Lismore constituents want us to do.”

Mr Krieg, a cafe owner, had 9099 first preference votes from a total of 17,547 counted, giving him a percentage of 51.86 per cent when counting closed on Saturday night.

Just over half of all votes had been counted.

There were just over 31,500 electors registered to vote in the Lismore electorate at the end of October.

Incumbent The Greens Mayor Vanessa Ekins was next with 16.39 per cent of the first preference vote while Our Sustainable Future candidate Elly Bird had 13.59 per cent.

Labor candidate Darlene Cook had 9.47 per cent while independent candidates Big Rob and Patrick Healey had 5.05 per cent and 3.64 per cent respectively.

Mr Krieg thanked his council predecessors and fellow mayoral candidates.

“Vanessa Ekins has done a really good job as she has been mayor to unite the councillors that were left in chambers,” Mr Krieg said.

“Elly Bird has done a great job to stand up for the community; Darlene Cook has done a great job.”

He said his team was not opposed to those other parties.

“But we felt that Lismore really needed a voice of community people and that is all we are, is concerned community citizens.

“We are not aligned with anyone, we just want to bring Lismore back to where it should be.”

He said fixing Lismore’s roads was his number one priority.

“We’ve just got to fight our hearts out to get as much funding as we can,” Mr Krieg said.

He said he also wanted to make improvements at the city’s tip as well as keep rates as low as possible.

“We think council is a service industry and we want to provide the best service possible for the ratepayers of Lismore.”

Meanwhile, Mr Krieg’s team of 14 candidates were also dominating in the councillor voting.

His team held nearly 44 per cent of the vote after nearly a third of total votes had been counted.

Next was Vanessa Ekins’s team on nearly 18 per cent of the vote and then Darlene Cook’s team with more than 14 per cent of the vote.

Counting closed at 11pm on Saturday and is set to resume on Monday.

EARLIER: Independent Lismore City Council mayoral candidate Steve Krieg has rocketed ahead in the race for the top job to claim 50 per cent of first preference votes in the early stages of counting.

Mr Krieg, a cafe owner, had 3037 first preference votes from a total of 6061 counted.

Nearly 20 per cent of all votes had been counted.

There were just over 31,500 electors registered to vote in the Lismore electorate at the end of October.

Incumbent The Greens Mayor Vanessa Ekins was next with 17.19 per cent of the first preference vote while Our Sustainable Future candidate Elly Bird had 12.37 per cent.

Labor candidate Darlene Cook had 10.97 per cent while independent candidates Big Rob and Patrick Healey had 5.71 per cent and 3.65 per cent respectively.

NSW Local Government Election facts

A massive 22.22 per cent of the NSW population voted early in Saturday's Local Government Elections.  290,827 made postal vote applications  129,979 postal votes already returned 418,819 people used iVote online polling 1,053,872 people voted early

EARLIER: A random survey of voters at five Lismore polling booths suggests mayoral candidate Steve Krieg’s blue army may have reason to celebrate once votes in the Lismore City Council election are tallied.

Retired farmer Pat Healy, 78, said he put Mr Krieg’s name first at the Lismore High polling booth on Saturday.

“He’s a new face,” Mr Healy said.

“I’m hoping a new face will bring what we need here.”

Gallery: All the colour of the 2021 Lismore local government election

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He said that was a fix to roads and the council’s finances.

“Roads, rates and garbage, that’s council’s job,” Mr Healy said.

But not all those who spoke to the Northern Star said they were backing Mr Krieg.

Goonellabah resident Kristy Edwards, 42, said she just wanted the roads fixed, particularly the pot holes.

“The roads are getting worse,” she said.

She said she voted for mayoral candidate Patrick Healey.

“Because I don’t like any of the others,” Ms Edwards said.

Lagoon Grass resident Karen Clark said she had voted for Big Rob.

She said Mr Rob had demonstrated his passion for the council and could “shake things up”.

“I want to see more entrepreneurial businesses given the green light and the go ahead,” Ms Clark said.

She said she given preference to all independent candidates because she was disillusioned with major parties.

Meanwhile, Lismore Heights mum of two Nikkiya Peters said she too had voted for Mr Krieg.

“I just think he will be a good person for this area,” Ms Peters, 32, said.

She said she wanted to see more water play facilities and bike tracks.

“I really think the community needs more outdoor stuff for families,” she said.

South Lismore resident Evan Lee, 20, said he too voted for Mr Krieg.

He said he wanted to see more council jobs become available.

“I find it hard getting a job around here,” Mr Fuller

The Trinity College graduate said he also wanted to see a 24-hour service station in South Lismore to service its night owls.

Voting will close at booths around NSW at 6pm on Saturday.