2022 New South Wales local elections

The 2022 New South Wales local elections were held on 30 July 2022 to elect councillors in three local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales, Australia. The elections were held as a re-run after the New South Wales Electoral Commission's online voting system crashed at the 2021 local elections.[1]

2022 New South Wales local elections

← 2021 30 July 2022 2024 →
  First party Second party Third party
 
IND
Leader N/A N/A Arthur Bain
Party Independents Labor Greens
Seats won 14 3 1
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1 Steady

Background

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At the 2021 elections, the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) used an online voting system, iVote, in a number of LGAs.[1] Analysis commissioned by the NSWEC found 55 voters in Singleton, 54 in Shellharbour and 34 voters in Kempsey who attempted to use iVote were prevented from casting their vote.[1]

On 5 April 2022, the Supreme Court of NSW ordered new elections in all three councils. The mayoral elections in were not affected, nor were the results in Shellharbour's B Ward, C Ward and D Ward.[1]

Analysis showed there was a 60% chance that the wrong candidate had been selected by voters in the affected areas.[2]

Results

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Kempsey

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2022 New South Wales local elections: Kempsey[a]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 1,890
Independent 1. Dean Saul (elected 3)
2. Scott Butterfield (elected 5)
3. Michael Vella
4. George Thring
3,843 22.60 +18.40
Greens 1. Arthur Bain (elected 1)
2. Dianne Nolan
3. Caroline George
4. Graeme Carrad
3,246 19.90 +9.70
Independent 1. Simon Fergusson (elected 2)
2. Joshua Freeman
3. Daniel Freeman
4. Margaret Moir
2,099 12.35 −8.85
Independent Anthony Patterson (elected 4) 1,909 11.23 +7.83
Independent Kerri Riddington (elected 7) 1,562 9.19 +3.39
Independent Alexandra Wyatt (elected 6) 1,537 9.04 +1.04
Independent Kinne Ring (elected 8) 1,234 7.26 +2.96
Independent Noel Selby 753 4.43 +1.43
Independent SFF Troy Irwin 507 2.98 −0.32
Independent Bruce Raeburn 119 0.70 −1.80
Independent Andrew Evans 102 0.60 +1.40
Independent Stephen McNamara 91 0.54 +0.54
Total formal votes 17,002 92.82 +5.22
Informal votes 1,315 7.18 −5.22
Turnout 18,317 78.50 −2.80

Shellharbour (A Ward)

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2022 New South Wales local elections: Shellharbour (A Ward)[a]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Quota 4,204
Independent 1. Kellie Marsh (elected 1)
2. Shane Bitschkat
7,185 56.98 −9.62
Labor 1. Maree Edwards (elected 2)
2. Aarron Vann
3,579 28.38 −5.02
  Independent Labor 1. Marianne Saliba
2. Liz Kemp
1,845 14.63 +14.63
Total formal votes 12,609 95.19 −0.21
Informal votes 637 4.81 +0.21
Turnout 13,246 81.11 −6.89

Singleton

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2022 New South Wales local elections: Singleton[a]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Danny Thompson (elected 3) 2,208 17.70 +0.00
Shooters, Fishers, Farmers Mel McLachlan (elected 1) 2,168 17.38 +6.98
Labor Tony Jarrett (elected 4) 1,557 12.48 +0.08
Independent Godfrey Adamthwaite (elected 1) 1,270 10.18 +3.08
Labor Sarah Johnstone (elected 5) 886 7.10 +3.60
Independent Hollee Jenkins (elected 8) 853 6.84 +2.57
Independent Val Scott (elected 7) 847 6.79 +3.99
Independent Sue George (elected 6) 782 6.27 +3.97
Independent Tony McNamara (elected 9) 494 3.96 +1.46
Independent Belinda Charlton 480 3.85 −2.15
Independent Kay Sullivan 406 3.25 +0.95
Independent Shane Feeney 330 2.65 +2.65
Independent Wayne Riley 194 1.56 +1.56
Total formal votes 12,475 94.09 +5.19
Informal votes 784 5.91 −5.19
Turnout 13,259 76.70 −7.30

Aftermath

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In Kempsey, the highest placed non-elected candidate from 2021, Dean Saul, was instead one the first councillors elected.

All councillors in Singleton were re-elected with the exception of independent Belinda Charlton, who was defeated by Labor's Sarah Johnstone.

As a result of the re-runs, the New South Wales Electoral Commission opted not to use iVote for the 2023 state election as was initially proposed.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Changes compared with the results at the 2021 elections.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Drewitt-Smith, Ainslie; Fernandez, Tim (17 March 2022). "Supreme Court orders re-vote after iVote crash in NSW local government elections". ABC News. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  2. ^ "iVote failure election re-runs in Kempsey, Singleton, Shellharbour to be held July 30 despite efforts to postpone". Australia: ABC News. 8 June 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2023.