Voters head to the local council election polls in Campbelltown and Camden

Early polling suggests both the Campbelltown and Camden mayors will retain their seats for another term. Follow our rolling coverage of election day.

The seats of the incumbent Macarthur mayors seem assured as the early polling counts begin in the region.

With just over 18 per cent of the votes tallied, Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic and the Labor party are carrying 43.9 per cent of the total number of votes tallied.

The Liberal party is the closest competitor (but far from breathing down Labor’s neck) with 25.2 per cent of the votes tallied.

Early polling suggests the two incumbent mayors in Macarthur will keep their seats. Pictured are former Camden mayor Therse Fedeli and former Campbelltown mayor George Brticevic.

Meanwhile in Camden, incumbent Mayor Therese Fedeli is the frontrunner to keep her seat in Central Ward, with 42 per cent of the votes in her favour.

In the North Ward, the Liberal Party headed by Lara Symkowiak had the lead after amassing 49.25 per cent of the votes - nearly half the total votes.

The South Ward has the closest numbers with Russell Zammit’s Liberal Party at the front of the pack with 39.19 per cent. The ticket is followed closely by Paul Farrow (Labor) and Eva Campbell (Independent) who are neck and neck with 29.66 per cent and 29.48 per cent of the votes respectively.

6pm, Saturday

The voting polls are now officially closed. Electoral staff will immediately begin counting the primary votes, although they will take the day off tomorrow.

5.45pm, Saturday – Camden

Former councillor Eva Campbell said the day started with a bang at her Camden South location when the police arrived to ensure the polling booth complied with Covid restrictions.

She said the police visit was indicative of the confusing mess of regulations that would deter voters on the day.

After 26 years on the council, Ms Campbell is the longest serving Camden councillor. Despite her tenure, she hopes to serve on the council again to continue her work in the community.

Council candidate Eva Campbell is the longest serving councillor on the Camden Council.

“If I didn’t think there was still work to be done, I wouldn’t be standing again,” she said.

Ms Campbell is a staunch independent who believes direct representation is the best way to serve the community as a councillor.

“I don’t belong to a political party,” she said.

“I don’t have any political auspices at all and my personal opinion is that is the way it should be on a local council.”

Ms Campbell said she is optimistic that she and at least one of her ticket will be elected as councillors.

5.15pm, Saturday – Camden South Public School

There were a lot of new voters and new residents coming through Camden South Public School today, according to the electoral staff.

Polling place worker David estimated the station had dealt with hundreds of people throughout the day “in a constant stream”. He said people were very well behaved with the Covid restrictions and social distancing.

Interested voters outside Camden South public school.

“I didn’t have to say anything to anyone,” he said.

The Covid restrictions seem to be the one thing voters aren’t confused about, with even more local voters at the school admitting they didn’t know who to choose.

Camden citizens Clayton and Amanda said they didn’t know anything about the council candidates this year.

“I’ve got no idea who’s who, but we’re Libs,” Clayton said.

The pair had been on the way to dinner with their newborn when they realised they’d forgotten to vote.

“We’ve got other things on at the moment and it didn’t really grab us,” Amanda said.

Camden South Public School has captured the last minute stragglers trying to get their votes in under the wire.

Local resident David said he didn’t have a clue the election was on until the last moment, and had no clue what the election meant.

“I did not know there was an election,” he said.

“I don’t know how this local election impacts the state government or the federal government.”

In the end, David said he voted for independent candidate Eva Campbell after speaking to her outside the polling place.

“She had the time to tell me what it’s all about,” he said.

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known.”

4.45pm, Saturday – Narellan Vale

The attendance at the 2021 local government elections has been lower than previous years, said former Camden Mayor Therese Fedeli.

She’s been all campaigning all over Camden and she’s noticed a steady but small stream of voters at Gregory Hills and Mount Annan. She said she’d heard a number of people complaining they didn’t know about the elections.

Former Camden Mayor Therese Fedeli has been campaigning all over Camden.

“It’s embarrassing on council’s behalf,” she said.

“I’m not sticking up for council but it’s been a difficult year and we postponed the elections twice.”

Each of the polling stations canvassed by The Macarthur Chronicle reported lower numbers than expected and cited the high pre-polling rate.

The Australian Electoral Commission estimates 35 per cent of NSW residents voted before today, which drastically reduces the walk-in numbers at booths.

As for Ms Fedeli, she said she’s ready for the voting to close at 6pm.

“My feet are killing me,” she joked.

4.20pm, Saturday – Elizabeth Macarthur High School

Two first time voters encapsulated the sentiment of many Macarthur voters when they admitted they had no idea who they were planning to select.

Jamie and Emily said they have no idea who they’re going to vote for, despite being on the threshold of the polling place.

“I don’t really care to be honest,” Jamie said.

There weren’t many later afternoon stragglers at Elizabeth Macarthur High School.

Political apathy reigned supreme at the school, with another pair admitting they didn’t follow local government.

When asked about her voting preferences, Jo said she would make a last minute decision in the booth for “which one I like the look of, which one looks the most honest”.

Electoral workers said there had been a steady trickle of voters through the doors, but there had been less people than expected.

3.45pm, Saturday – Ruse

Former Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic said he hopes voters will remember the achievements of the council as they head to the polls today.

The Labor candidate said the council had worked well together and well with the community to achieve a number of important community projects during their extended tenure.

George Brticevic and his wife Monique campaigning in Ruse on December 4.

“It’s been a positive out of a negative,” he said.

“A lot of projects that wouldn’t have been completed came into fruition because of the team and the wonderful staff”.

Labor had a majority within Campbelltown City Council during the last term, but Mr Brticevic insisted the councillors worked collaboratively instead of along party lines.

“We had the majority but we didn’t act like we had the majority,” he said.

“We did it as a whole group.”

After nearly ten years as a councillor, Mr Brticevic said the expectations of residents are higher than ever before thanks to the visibility of their work. He joked it might be time to get onto TikTok to ensure younger ratepayers were included in the conversation.

Federal MP for Macarthur Dr Mike Freelander and George Brticevic.

“These younger generations are so diverse with their communications,” he said.

“I hope the message is getting through to the young people.”

Mr Brticevic said he believes his platform appeals to all ages, and he is optimistic about the outcome of the elections.

“If I get the opportunity to lead it … I’d love the cohesion to continue,” he said.

Late voters at the Bradbury Public School were devastated to miss one of the region’s only voting centres offering the democracy sausage.

The school canteen was eager to keep voting as normal as possible by offering up bacon and egg rolls for early risers and a sausage sizzle for the afternoon stragglers.

Former Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic snagged himself a democracy sausage on December 4.

Former Campbelltown Mayor George Brticevic snagged himself a snag in the morning while he was making the rounds, but unfortunately for the afternoon visitors, the canteen closed at 2pm.

Polling Place Manager Carmel said the canteen volunteers were hoping to close earlier, but the crowds hadn’t materialised. She said the polling place has seen less than half the usual amount of voters.

“For being such a big one, it’s been quiet. But I heard the pre-poll was really busy,” she said.

“I think a lot of people don’t realise council elections are on.”

Busy scenes outside Bradbury public school in Campbelltown where the brother of council candidate Josh Cotter is helping out his brother.

Most people wandering in to vote said they weren’t prepared for the local government election.

Locals Aaron and Jeremy said they were on the way to a party when they realised they needed to vote.

“It snuck up on us, there wasn’t that much advertising about it,” Aaron said.

Both felt unprepared for the vote, and said they would probably vote Liberal as they have usually done.

“You get bamboozled when you come in,” Aaron said.

There was a fast moving line outside Bradbury public school in Campbelltown.

Campbelltown resident Ann said she was also unsure about who to vote for because she didn’t know the policies or the platforms of the candidates.

“You see the names but you don’t see advertised what it is they’re wanting achieved,” she said.

Ann admitted she felt very disillusioned with the major political parties.

“I feel like the major parties have lost their way,” she said.

“I feel like politicians in general are not in touch with what we need or what daily life actually involves.”

Despite her dissatisfaction, Ann was in and out of the polling place within 15 minutes and sad to have missed a sausage.

There were a number of people at Bradbury Public School, all of whom moved quickly through the polling booths.

3.00pm, Saturday – Glen Alpine

After years of waiting and a drawn out campaign, Campbelltown Council hopeful Josh Cotter said it’s a relief to actually be at the finish line today.

“It’s been a long two weeks of pre-polling,” he said.

“We’ve had all the seasons in two weeks, but we’re very excited today and hoping for a very positive result.”

Mr Cotter is a 28-year-old youth community leader who has taken on the lead role with the Community First campaign, which was previously headed by retiring candidate Paul Lake.

Campbelltown council candidate Josh Cotter, pictured with his wife, is aiming to bring a fresh young voice to the council.

“It’s an honour for me to step into his shoes and hopefully do the Community First team proud and lead the party into the future,” Mr Cotter said.

“We’re going to keep the foundations of all the good work Paul’s done over the years and look for a fresh and youthful vision mixed in with the experience.”

Community First is an independent campaign comprising a diverse range of residents who are aiming to work collaboratively with locals to achieve the best outcome for the community.

Mr Cotter said people at the polling booths have expressed a lot of localised frustrations that they want addressed at a grassroots level to see change in the area. After the delays, he said many locals expected to have the elections delayed again.

“I think a lot of people are very surprised there’s actually an election on,” he said.

The council candidate said people have been stymied by the Covid-safe polling process, which he said has led to more unprepared people going in to cast “an uninformed vote”.

Campbelltown council candidate Josh Cotter, pictured with fellow candidate Abul Sarker, is aiming to bring a fresh young voice to the council.

“There’s a lot of people standing in a line going ‘Who do I vote for?’, so we’ve been trying to have conversations with people,” he said.

Mr Cotter said it’s been “challenge after challenge” in the lead up to the elections, but there haven’t been any direct issues with campaign interference or poster destruction. He said such tactics don’t help anyone.

“At the end of the day, I might be privileged to sit alongside some of these councillors and there’s point fighting,” he said.

“It’s working collaboratively for the benefit of the community that’s important.”

EARLIER

Local Government Elections are well underway in Campbelltown and Camden, with veteran councillors and council hopefuls making the rounds to try to win last-minute votes – from a distance.

The elections look different this year with the Covid safe rules to ensure safe distancing and minimal interaction. Anyone attending election venues will be required to check in with a QR code or manual record, and those lining up to vote will need to wear masks.

Political candidates are also prohibited from handing out election materials within 100m of a polling place in order to minimise the risk of Covid transmission.

NSW Minister for Local Government, Shelley Hancock encourages residents to vote in the local government elections. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock encouraged voters to head to voting centres to have their say.

“If you are not happy with them make your vote count and elect someone new,” Mrs Hancock said.

“The elections are also an opportunity to reward strong performing councillors by voting them back in for another term.”

The outgoing councillors served an extended term of more than five years after two delayed elections due to Covid.

In Campbelltown, the local Labor faction is expected to hold on to power, with former Mayor George Brticevic at the helm.

However, there are some fresh new faces at the polls, including Josh Cotter, a 28-year-old youth leader who has taken over the Community First campaign from retiring councillor Paul Lake.

Khalil Musad is the lead candidate for Community Voice Campbelltown. Picture: Rasha/Facebook

Another campaign attracting attention in Campbelltown is Community Voice, a campaign aiming to unite the diverse voices of the migrant communities in Campbelltown to better represent the community.

Lead candidate Khalil Musad, a Minto Heights resident who moved from Bangladesh decades ago, hopes to unite the numerous divided groups in the region under a strong voice.

In Camden, the local Liberal campaign is aiming to hold onto the majority they’ve held for the past five years. It looks likely they will hold onto four spots, while Labor retains three and independent Eva Campbell is tipped to keep her seat.

Former Camden mayor Therese Fedeli said she would not make any assumptions about the outcome.

“I’ve been in this a while now. Don’t underestimate the voter,” she said.

“They may come up to you and take your flyer, but you never can tell”.

Ms Fedeli said it was particularly difficult to gauge voters this year when social distancing is enforced and candidates aren’t able to hand out flyers.

“It’s been a very hard campaign for us to put together,” she said.

Former Camden Mayor Therese Fedeli looks likely to return to her position in council. Picture: Facebook

According to Ms Fedeli, the main issues being discussed by voters appear to be state concerns like infrastructure and roads. She says issues in higher levels of government tend to “flow down” to affect residents’ perception of the effectiveness of local government.

After a particularly difficult couple of years, this could translate to change in the council.

“You’ve just got to try your best,” Ms Fedeli said.

“I’m going to stay positive but I always wait until the end”.

Voting is compulsory and polling booths across the electorates will be open until 6pm tonight.

Find out more information about your local candidates or your nearest polling station here.