THE race for the mayor will come down to preferences with Liz Campbell and Leo Hauville battling it out for the top job.
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Mrs Campbell, born and educated in Kempsey Shire, was elected to council in 2008 and appointed mayor in 2011. She became the region's first popularly elected mayor in 2012 when she was re-elected.
Leo Hauville was elected to Kempsey Shire Council in 2016. At this election, he chose to only run for the mayoral role.
Mrs Campbell has a minor lead with 31.5 per cent of the first preference votes over Mr Hauville on 28.1 per cent.
First preference vote counting has also commenced for the positions of councillor. There are eight councillors to be elected in Kempsey Shire from 22 candidates.
As of 1pm Monday (December 6) 8,913 votes had been counted. Of those, almost 18 per cent have been marked informal and will not count. Votes are being progressively updated.
Across the local government area, 22,744 residential and non-residential electors were enrolled to vote as of October 25.
The progressive results for the positions of councillor as of 12.23pm December 6 are:
Group A, where Simon Fergusson is the lead candidate, was sitting at 1,622 votes (22.17%).
Group B, with VJ Craigie as lead candidate, had secured 955 votes (13.05%).
Independent candidates' progressive results are:
- Alexandra Wyatt 522 votes (7.55%)
- Bruce Raeburn 160 votes (2.9%)
- Dean Saul 263 votes (3.59%)
- Byron Fegan 219 votes (2.99%)
- Andrew Evans 132 votes (1.80%)
- Troy Irwin 305 votes (4.17%)
- Liz Campbell 787 votes (10.76%)
- Mark Baxter 350 votes (4.78%)
- Sue McGinn 227 votes (3.10%)
- Kerri Riddington 286 votes (3.91%)
- Anthony Patterson 253 votes (3.46%)
- Noel Selby 114 votes (1.56%)
- Arthur Bain 711 votes (9.72%)
- Kinne Ring 380 votes (5.19%)
In Bellingen, independent Steve Allan will win the mayoral seat from former mayor Dominic King.
In Nambucca Valley, Rhonda Hoban will be returned as mayor with a progressive tally securing 68 per cent of the vote so far over Susan Jenvey.
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Tracey Fairhurst
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
