KING Island residents will only receive council election ballot papers for Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the upcoming postal elections. Under Tasmanian electoral rules the eight candidates who nominated for the nine seats are automatically elected. The nomination period for the one vacant seat will be extended until midday Monday, September 26.
The TEC has called for nominations for the seat. The incoming council are experienced councillors and one new face – Marcus Blackie. Vernon Philbey, Duncan McFie, Ian Allan, Sarina Laidler, Gina Green, Ira Cooke and David Bowden are re-elected.
The position of Mayor will be contested by Ian Allan and Marcus Blackie and the Deputy Mayor position by Vernon Philbey, Duncan McFie and Sarina Laidler.
Deputy Electoral Commissioner Ngaire Edwards and TEC website issued an early nominations announcement due to insufficient candidate nominations. If there is only one nomination for the one seat, then that candidate is automatically elected. If more than one nomination is received for the vacant seat in the extension period, this will trigger a by-election for that seat.
Ms Edwards did not speculate about what would happen if there were no nominations for that seat as we are in the next phase of the election period. She said that this situation had occurred before in Latrobe and Sorrell and multiple candidates nominated during the extension period.
FOR the first time in Tasmanian history voting at next month’s postal poll will be compulsory. All 29 Tasmanian councils are facing election with more than 500 individual candidates nominated for the 263 councillor positions available. When mayoral and deputy mayoral positions are included, the Tasmanian Electoral Commission has received about 740 nominations.
Ballot material will be delivered to voters by post commencing Monday October 3, 2022 and the polls will close at 2 pm on Tuesday October 25. Each council has between seven and 12 councillors (including a mayor and deputy) who will be elected for a four-year term of office. Postal ballot packs will be delivered to electors in the week commencing October 3.