Lord mayor favourite Sally Capp could be foiled by rivals’ united front

MAYORAL race frontrunner Sally Capp is expected to win the most votes in May’s election to replace Robert Doyle, but rivals are uniting to block her.

RIVALS are uniting to block front-runner Sally Capp from becoming lord mayor.

Ms Capp is expected to win the most votes in May’s election to replace Robert Doyle, but preferences from a field of 14 candidates will be crucial.

The Property Council executive has issued a how-to-vote card directing preferences straight down the ballot. But candidates linked to the Labor, Liberal, and Green parties are to preference each other ahead of her, making an electoral path to victory difficult.

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Candidate for Melbourne lord mayor Sally Capp. Picture: David Geraghty

A veteran council campaigner told the Herald Sun the three-way deal had turned the election into a lottery.

“These particular groups have formed an unholy alliance and ganged up against Sally Capp.

“You’ve got Liberals giving preferences to Greens, Greens giving preferences to Liberals, Labor giving preferences to both — it’s absolute insanity.

“They are spinning the wheel on the roulette table in the 100-to-one chance that it will land on their number but they are happy to see candidates, opposed to everything they stand for, succeed.”

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Melbourne lord mayor candidate Ken Ong. Picture: Hamish Blair

Ken Ong, a Liberal member and former councillor, said it was usual for the favourite in the race to be preferenced last. He said his first preference was Jennifer Yang, a Labor Party member, then pollster Gary Morgan, then Cr Rohan Leppert, a Green: “She (Ms Yang) is an old mate, and Rohan has experience as a councillor.”

Mr Morgan and academic Sally Warhaft have formed an alliance in the race over their opposition to the Melbourne City Council’s $250 million Queen Victoria revamp.

Ballots for the postal vote will be sent out next week and voting closes at 6pm on May 11.

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@JMasanauskas