First preferences for the new Tweed Shire Council looked likely to lean towards progressives rather than conservatives according to early vote counts as of Monday morning.
But questions remained over how preferences might determine the final balance in the seven-seat chamber responsible for the largest local government area in terms of voters and budget on the Northern Rivers.
Fewer than half the 71,582 registered Tweed Shire voters were accounted for in the tally, which featured first preference results from 33,825 ballots, including 7,621 informal/other votes.
The shire had around five thousand more registered voters than in 2021, when 53,400 ballots were counted.
Early counting showed the Liberals with the most first preferences at more than 28 per cent, followed by Labor at nearly 15 per cent, incumbent Independent Mayor Chris Cherry’s group at nearly 14 per cent and The Greens at more than 12 per cent.
There was no mayoral election in the Tweed Shire as elected councillors are responsible for choosing the mayor.
Little change expected in Tweed council line-up
Initial counts towards required quotas of votes for council seats showed as many as five incumbent councillors had strong chances of reclaiming their roles.
The Liberals had achieved a progressive quota ratio of 2.3, enough for at least two seats, which is how many were won in 2021.
The same two incumbents were the party’s top two candidates this year, James Owen and his partner Rhiannon Brinsmead.
Another two quotas were achieved by Labor and Ms Cherry, with Labor represented by incumbent Cr Reece Byrnes.
The Greens had achieved a progressive quota ratio of 0.97, suggesting the party would earn enough votes for incumbent Cr Nola Firth to reclaim a seat either on first or second preference counts.
Newcomer Kimberly Hone, who in 2022 failed in a campaign against Labor’s Justine Elliot for the federal seat of Richmond, was also close to winning a seat on the council, representing The Nationals and achieving a progressive quota ratio of 0.92.
Prospects for a seventh seat were less clear but could determine whether the council has a conservative or progressive majority at face value.
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