Cowra Council Election Decided

The next Cowra Council was officially proclaimed on Monday, with the election proving a tight one, taking 13 counts to decide all nine seats.

Nikki Kiss, Sharon D’Elboux, Peter Wright, Bill West, Cheryl Downing, Ruth Fagan, Paul Smith, Erin Watt and Judi Smith will all take office in January as the new Cowra Council, with five of the nine being brand new councillors.

The majority of the new Council will also be female.

With an 85% voter turnout of 9,697 enrolled voters in the shire, and with an informal vote rate of 5.82%, the quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 777.

Bill West and Erin Watt were both elected on first preferences, with Mr West receiving 2132 votes, and Mrs Watt receiving 1138.

Sharon D’Elboux, while only just falling short of the first preference quota at 705 votes, was elected on the second count, and Nikki Kiss was elected on the third count.

There was then a large gap between counts, such was the close nature of the election, with Cheryl Downing being elected at the eighth count, Peter Wright the 10th, and each of Ruth Fagan, Paul Smith and Judi Smith the 13th.

The new Council will have its first meeting in January when it will elect its Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

• Topics:
• Local Council
• Elections