Gold Coast City council election: Gail O’Neill and Kath Down only 13 votes apart on the official count
There are very few votes separating Councillor Gail O’Neill and her opponent Kath Down on the official count in what is a ‘knife edge’ contest. READ THE UPDATE
Council Election
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Only 13 votes separate Councillor Gail O’Neill and her opponent Kath Down on the official count in what is a knife edge contest unlikely to be determined until late next week.
The official first preference count has Cr O’Neill on 7866 votes (45.63 per cent) ahead of Ms Down with 7853 votes (45.56 per cent).
Some scrutineers argue the unofficial preliminary vote is a more accurate up to date result – and it shows Cr O’Neill in a much stronger position.
At midday on Thursday, in the unofficial preliminary vote, Cr O’Neill was ahead by 156 votes.
The lead will be critical because preferences will start to be counted next week. Cr O’Neill has called for a recount, no matter what the result, because the outcome will be so close.
A political insider said: “Gail is very unsettled (by the vote). She is getting good emotional support at the count.
“Her supporters say she will win on the back of preferences from the Animal Justice Party candidate. I think it will be knife edge.”
Animal Justice Party candidate Benjamin Theakstone has almost nine per cent of the vote.
The view from the count, with scrutineers looking at how-to-votes, is few of the people who voted for him have listed preferences.
Cr O’Neill’s scrutineers says she has been ahead on the unofficial vote since Monday.
About 1800 postal votes were sent out and more than 1000 have been received and counted. Postal votes have until Sunday to be counted.
Cr O’Neill at the count has confirmed it was impossible to call the result because it would be decided by preferences.
Ms Down who is the leader of Save Our Southern Gold Coast is calling out for help to get more scrutineers after visiting the Returning Office base at Arundel on Wednesday.
In a post, Save Our Southern Coast said: “Kath needs your help. Scrutineering is taking its toll. We need a few volunteers to step up and help.
“Please send a message advising if you can help next week. This could go on awhile as Gail has indicated she will ask for a recount.”
Division 4 is the only division which has been “declared” after the March 16 poll. Rookie councillor Shelley Curtis was unopposed.
Other councillors who have majority votes expect the final result in their divisions will get an official tick later this week.
But they believe Division 14 and Division 7, where there is another tight contest after a Melbourne Cup field ran against suspended councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden, could take at least another week.
Candidate Joe Wilkinson on the unofficial preliminary vote is leading with 5432 votes (25.16 per cent) in Division 7.
Cr Bayldon-Lumsden is second, with 4701 votes. He is 731 votes behind.
Scrutineers maintain that “Ryan is no chance of being returned”.
‘Relief that it’s over’: Gold Coast City Council polling results updated
Naomi Fowler says she is excited and ready to step into the role held by experienced councillor William Owen-Jones, as she waits for the vote to be declared.
Ms Fowler, who ran in Division 2, which covers Helensvale, Oxenford and Hope Island, is among three new candidates who are guaranteed they will be councillors after the 2024 poll.
“I’m excited. But I think the main feeling is of relief, that it’s over,” she said.
Dan Doran in Division 11 which covers Robina and Varsity Lakes, and Josh Martin in Division 13 which includes Palm Beach-Burleigh, will join her at the new council.
Kath Down is in a nail biter of a fight with sitting councillor Gail O’Neill in Division 14, which includes Coolangatta and Kirra. Less than 100 votes will possibly decide this contest.
Division 7 candidate Joe Wilkinson, in a similar tight race, is less than 100 votes ahead of incumbent councillor Ryan Bayldon-Lumsden.
The Bulletin understands City officials are waiting for divisions to be declared so they can prepare training sessions for councillors following them being sworn in.
Ms Fowler said her hope is the poll in her Division for the March 16 election can be declared in the next few days.
Counting in the closer contests could continue into next week. Recounting began on Wednesday.
The City will want to swear in all councillors at the same time, meaning the delay could be beyond next week.
Ms Fowler’s opponent, Ben Findlay, in a post congratulated Ms Fowler. She will replace Cr Owen-Jones who decided last year not to recontest.
“You ran one hell of a campaign over the last 300 days. I wish you all the best for this next chapter,” Mr Findlay wrote.
“For all those who have helped out, supported financially, and offered words of encouragement over the last six months, I am forever grateful.
“Without your support, this would not have been possible. In fact, I guarantee you that I would have been curled up in the foetal position within the first few weeks of the campaign and again by day two of early voting.
Ms Fowler congratulated Mr Findlay for his campaign and “having the courage to put himself out there”.
She thanked her supporters after a “massive team effort across the last 300 days”.
“It was a massive team effort with family, friends, community groups, sporting groups, local residents and volunteers. It absolutely blows my mind how much you all sacrificed to help us achieve this incredible result. I will be forever grateful. Words cannot express how thankful I truly am,” she said.
Poll shock: ‘I do believe I will win’
Anti-light rail campaigner Kath Down says she is confident of winning Gail O’Neill’s southern Gold Coast division, in what would be one of the biggest upsets in a Gold Coast local government poll.
Ms Down claimed she was headed to victory just before arriving on Tuesday at the Arundel Returning Officer base, where the count from Saturday’s poll continues.
“I feel we have done the hard work and I do believe we will win,” she said.
While the official count showed her ahead, scrutineers say Cr O’Neill is beating her.
After watching the count and talking to scrutineers, Cr O’Neill said: “Just from the counting of the last few days I think I have inched ahead, it is going to be tight though, I’m certainly not calling it. It will come down to preferences.
“And I’ll make sure I’m here every day. If it is close, I will be asking for recount as well.”
Councillors and City Hall staffers are closely monitoring the count.
Ms Down is the city’s most vocal anti-tram advocate, and if elected, will oppose Mayor Tom Tate on his light rail policies. Cr O’Neill has supported Stage Four light rail to the border.
With more than 60 per cent of the vote counted, Ms Down is on 46.30 per cent, ahead of Cr O’Neill on 45.75 per cent. She is ahead by 95 votes.
But scrutineers say Cr O’Neill leads by about 150 votes. It will be decided by preferences.
Animal Justice Party candidate Benjamin Theakstone is third, with 7.95 per cent (1363 votes). His preferences are expected to go to Ms Down – but the leakage of those votes could be just 20 per cent from his total count. The final result might be decided by as few as 100 votes.
Latest official figures show Ms Down not only leads the official count but has won the pre-poll where she led Cr O’Neill by 40 votes.
The vote could drag on for another week. Postal votes have until March 24 to be counted.
“We worked hard, we ran a solid, smart campaign. We did all the footwork, I analysed everything and put people where they needed to be,” Ms Down said.
“I made sure I stood there all day, everyday. It rained and everyone went to cover and I was still there.”
Ms Down said she believed she would gain the preferences from Mr Theakstone.
“So Gail has threatened to call a recount. Why don’t you sit down and take it, the people have had enough,” Ms Down said.
“The vote was in the southern Gold Coast very clear to Tom Tate and to Gail. Last time she got in at over 60 per cent.
“This is a definite. And I’m new, people don’t know me. The people want change.”
The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology then edited and approved for publication by an editor.
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