WAGGA

The NSW Electoral Commission has told candidates it will collect all ballot papers and do a recount in Sydney.

In an email yesterday afternoon, electoral commissioner John Schmidt said there were “concerns” about the speed of the batching and data entry at the returning officer’s office.

The votes will be counted and entered in Sydney from tomorrow morning.

9.30pm:

WAGGA

Results from the pre-poll and Glenfield Park Scout Hall are in. 

All first preferences have been counted and the tally is:

Next Generation 6,400 (20.44 per cent)

Country Labor 5,266 (16.82 per cent)

Funnell ticket 4,236 (14.17 per cent)

Pascoe ticket 4,199 (13.41 per cent)

Braid ticket 1,739 (5.55 per cent)

Wagga Women’s Alliance 1,543 (4.93 per cent)

Australia First 1,355 (4.33 per cent)

Greens 1,354 (4.32 per cent)

Greg Conkey 1,134 (3.62 per cent)

Dallas Tout 850 (2.71 per cent)

Preferences will be counted on Friday. 

7.45pm:

JUNEE

Incumbent mayor Neil Smith leads the way in votes, with 18.73 per cent of the votes counted going his way. Other incumbents looking at retaining a spot on council are Pam Halliburton, Matt Austin, Bob Callow and Martin Holmes, while new faces Robin Asmus, Kerri Walker, David Carter and Mark Cook likely to be voted in.

LEETON

Incumbent mayor Paul Maytom has been resoundingly endorsed by voters, with 38.95 per cent of the votes counted. The other candidates looking likely are incumbents Michael Kidd, George Weston, Tracey Morris, and Peter Davidson. Likely new faces include Paul Smith, Tony Reneker, Tony Ciccia and Sandra Nardi, with incumbent Emerson Doig facing an uphill battle to win a seat.

TEMORA

Mayor Rick Firman is in with a landslide 59.72 per cent of the votes counted. Other incumbents likely to join him are Nigel Judd, Graham Sinclair, Kenneth Smith, and Max Oliver. Claire McLaren, Lindy Reinhold, Dale Wiencke and Les Buckley look like taking the other spots, with incumbent Dennis Sleigh falling behind.

4pm:

WAGGA

Country Labor look set to occupy two of nine positions on the next Wagga council after registering 17.3 per cent of the first preference vote.

It’s too early to categorically declare Vanessa Keenan victorious, but if voting trends continue in the remainder of the count Mr Hayes is “quietly confident”.

Mr Hayes, a Wagga psychologist who unsuccessfully ran for council four years ago, said the local Labor faithful were savouring a rare election win in a conservative region.

“At the state and federal level of politics Wagga is in safe (conservative) seats and it's a challenge for Labor here,” Mr Hayes said.

“For us, celebrating a win is new and we don't take it for granted. 

“Today we exceeded expectations and we’re all pretty overwhelmed.”

GRIFFITH

Less than one per cent separates the two front-runners in Griffith’s race for popularly elected mayor, with a final result expected to be announced tonight.

John Dal Broi: 2,539 first preference votes (29.26 per cent)

Doug Curran: 2,475 first preference votes (28.52 per cent)

2.30pm:

LOCKHART

Three councillors are elected from each of the three wards within the Lockhart Shire. 

In A Ward – Lockhart, Bidgeemia, Urangeline, Brookong – deputy mayor Rodger Schirmer has amassed more than 55 per cent of the first preference vote.

Max Day (18.98 per cent) and Andrew Rockliff (16.34 per cent) look set to edge out former chairman of the Lockhart and District Community Bank Philip Bouffler (9.31 per cent).

Mr Schirmer, a retired farmer and former AWB board memeber, “may well run for mayor” in the wake of Peter Yates’ retirement.

“In the next four years conncil has to prioritise growing business and population to ensure our long term future,” Mr Schirmer said.

“The Rock is on the Olympic Way and to some degree is a satellite of Wagga, prime for residential development and more small businesses.

“Lockhart’s industrial park has been going for a few years now and is filling up, but it’s perfect for expansion given its close proximity to rail.”

In B Ward – Yerong Creek, Osborne, Milbrulong, French Park – Derek Douglas leads the count with 34.84 per cent of first preference votes, followed by Peter Sharp with 32.96 per cent and James Walker with 26.18 per cent.

Leia Thiele is almost certain to miss out with just 6.03 per cent of the vote. 

In C Ward – The Rock – Gail Driscoll, Ian Marston and Greg Verdon were elected unopposed. 

1.45pm:

WAGGA

Retiring councillor Julian McLaren has been crunching the numbers and claimed the six certainties for Wagga council are Rod Kendall (Next Generation), Tim Koschel (Next Generation), Dan Hayes (Country Labor), Vanessa Keenan (Country Labor), Paul Funnell and Kerry Pascoe.

Mr McLaren doubts the 11,500 uncounted first preference votes from the pre-polling centre and Glenfield Scout Hall will drastically alter current trends.

As for the remaining three spots, Mr McLaren said “anything could happen” once second preferences are allocated, which won’t be known until Friday.

“Second preferences will determine last three,” Mr McLaren said.

“But Australia First have no chance at all.”

The financial planner’s tentative tip for the three positions in the most doubt are Yvonne Braid, Wagga Women’s Alliance lead candidate Andreia Schineanu and Greg Conkey. 

11.45am: 

WAGGA

Around half of the formal votes have been counted and the big shock is none of the ungrouped candidates appear likely to be elected, including deputy mayor Dallas Tout and councillor Greg Conkey.

Only the first preference votes have been counted – where voters put a number one in the box beside a candidate or ticket – and without the second preference votes it is too early to call any victors. 

Pre-poll (9,000 voters) and Glenfield polling (2,500 voters) booth are not included in the current results. 

As it stands mayor Rod Kendall’s Next Generation ticket has the most first preference votes, with nearly 20 per cent, which suggests he and his running mate Tim Koschel are highly likely to be elected. 

The other standout performer is the Country Labor Party, attracting 17 per cent of the first preference vote, which means lead candidate Dan Hayes is a near-certainty and his running-mate Vanessa Keenan is a firm favourite.

Those early votes indicate four of the nine Wagga councillors will come from the Next Generation and Country Labor tickets. 

Both Paul Funnell and Kerry Pascoe appear likely to be re-elected, although neither of them are fancied to “drag on” the second candidate on their tickets.

Kerry Pascoe has attracted enough votes in the last three elections to win a position for the second candidate on his ticket, but in a surprise break from recent history it appears that run has come to an end.

If that is true highly fancied Wagga Business Chamber general manager Michelle Bray, lauded for doubling the membership to claim the mantle of most members of any business chamber in NSW, would miss out. 

That leaves three spots to fill, which look set to be fought over by four tickets: Braid ticket (currently 5.37 per cent), Wagga Women’s Alliance (currently 5.25 per cent), the Greens (currently 4.88 per cent) and Australia First (4.55 per cent).

The ungrouped candidates who have polled the most votes are Greg Conkey (currently 3.4 per cent), Dallas Tout (currently 2.44 per cent), Alan Brown (currently 1.88 per cent) and iconic business woman Simone Eyles (currently 1.83 per cent).

Based on those numbers, deputy mayor Dallas Tout and current councillors Greg Conkey and Alan Brown will be dumped from public office.