2024 Gold Coast City Council election: Ballot paper order after draw
Gold Coast council candidates have received critical news about their future on election day, with one high-profile figure grimacing at the news. FIND OUT MORE
Council Election
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Mayor Tom Tate secured the coveted first place on the ballot paper for the March election and candidates nervously waited to discover their fate.
It was the calm before the electoral storm at an empty Arundel warehouse on Wednesday morning for the draw, with around 40 candidates and supporters convivially sitting together for the draw, which was dubbed by Gold Coast Returning Officer Karen Barany as “just like the Logies”.
The draw determines the order candidates are listed on the ballot paper on March 16.
The first and last spots are traditionally regarded as being the most advantageous.
Mr Tate, who was not present, has never previously secured the top spot from six previous campaigns.
The incumbent skipped the ballot draw to meet with Queensland Governor General Dr Jeanette Young and celebrated by entering a media conference to Pearl Jam ballad ‘Better Man’ saying “You gotta really enjoy your job”.
“There’s a couple of great songs, I’m trying to act like a Pearl Jam fan – I am. I started playing Last Kiss and then I looked at the lyrics and I thought oh okay. Being Valentine’s day I thought oh that would be a good one, I won’t to do that – shout out to my wife last kiss. No to mock her or anything. So I went with Better Man instead.”
Mr Tate said he was delight to top the ballot.
“Valentine’s Day brings love, romance and good fortune …. in my case, I’ve got the good fortune of securing the No. 1 spot on the ballot,” he said.
“I urge all voters to think about their decision once voting opens.
“Experience and reliability is what will ensure we maintain a low rates future while still investing record funds in roads, transport, green space and jobs.”
High-profile mayoral challenger and former councillor Eddy Sarroff appeared to grimace after being picked eighth of nine candidates.
Other candidates were delighted by their placing, including Division 6 challenger Samantha Delmage who declared, “Oh my God I never win anything”.
Early voting starts on March 4 ahead of the March 16 election day where 13 divisional seats and the mayoralty will all be up for grabs
Division 4 councillor Shelley Curtis was not challenged and was automatically re-elected on Tuesday when nominations closed.
Gold Coast voters will choose from the smallest field of candidates in more than a decade.
Just 46 people have put themselves forward as candidates for the March 16 election, down from the record 68 who ran in 2012 and 56 who ran in 2020, including a record nine mayoral hopefuls.
However, the nine-strong mayoral field is the largest on record.
Just a handful of incumbent councillors attended the draw – Pimpama’s Mark Hammel, Mudgeeraba’s Glenn Tozer and Surfers Paradise’s Darren Taylor, who received an 11th-hour challenge from failed 2020 mayoral candidate Mona Hecke
Ms Hecke revealed why she has decided to stand in Division 10, which includes Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
“It made sense to me to follow my heart, I have spent most of my personal and working life in Division 10 and my aim is simple – to prioritise the needs of locals above all else,” she said.
“Division 10 is the heart of our city and I want to work collaboratively with business leaders and other government sectors while remaining steadfast in my commitment to serving the local residents and businesses first and foremost.”
Ms Hecke said Division 10 was the City’s tourist driver and critical for the economy.
“I have a clear and ambitious agenda,” she said.
I want to make it easy for people to move around the city, ensure our public streets, parks and places are safe and beautiful. It’s about enhancing the lifestyle where locals love to be and build a caring community.”
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