Gold Coast City Council election 2020: New council set to be sworn in later this month amid COVID-19 crisis
The make up of the new Gold Coast City Council has become clear as counting from last month’s election reaches its final stages. SEE WHO REPRESENTS YOUR AREA
Council Election 2020
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THE make up of the new Gold Coast City Council is becoming clearer as counting from last month’s election reaches its final stages.
As of this morning, more than 65 per cent of votes have been counted in the council’s 14 contested seats, including the mayoralty.
The only seat yet to be decided is the so-called “super division” of Division 10 where, with 66.36 per cent of the vote counted, former councillor Eddy Sarroff is slightly ahead of Darren Taylor.
Mr Sarroff has secured 25.99 per cent of the vote, while Mr Taylor has 25.45 per cent.
While counting continues, the rest of the line-up has already been determined.
Tom Tate will return for a third term as mayor after securing 56.05 per cent of the vote in the first preference count.
The new Division 1 will be represented by Mark Hammel while divisions 2 and 3 will welcome back returning councillors William Owen-Jones and Donna Gates, who is expected to serve another term as deputy mayor.
Incumbent planning boss Cr Cameron Caldwell has been elected to the new Division 4, defeating fellow incumbent councillor Kristyn Boulton.
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Nerang Councillor Peter Young was re-elected unopposed in Division 5.
In the hotly contested battle to replace Dawn Crichlow in Division 6, Brooke Patterson triumphed, while the new Division 7, centred on Arundel, will be represented by Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, who will become the city’s youngest ever councillor.
Excluding division 10, the central and southern councillors remain unchanged, with local government stalwarts Bob La Castra, Glenn Tozer and Daphne McDonald all re-elected.
Newer councillors Hermann Vorster, Pauline Young and Gail O’Neill were all re-elected for second terms.
The new council will be sworn in later this month.
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