Image: Colour Play is on at the Abercrombie Window Gallery this week. Photo: Rod Sparks
By EVA BAXTER
Woollahra Council looks likely to remain blue, with the Liberal Party in the lead for votes in every ward besides Paddington.
The NSW Electoral Commission will not begin declaring candidates elected until December 20th, but this is how the results are tracking so far.
Results from iVote will not be released until 6pm on Wednesday 8 December.
In 2017, 8 Liberal Party members, 5 Residents’ First Woollahra members and 2 Greens were elected to council by the community.
Not much seems likely to change in 2021, with current data suggesting the Liberal Party will get at least 8 seats, RFW 5 and Greens 1, the final seat undecided.
The Liberal Party has the most votes in total, at 48% and 7846 votes. RFW is in second place with 38.1% of votes, a total of 6222, and finally the Greens have 13.9% with 2263 votes.
ABC’s Chief Elections Analyst finds the Liberal Party has a slight negative swing from last election (-1.3) and RFW has had a considerable positive swing (+10.6).
Bellevue Hill Ward
7,713 electors were enrolled in Bellevue Hill ward and three councillors will be elected from six candidates.
The Liberal Party has 59.2% of votes, with incumbent Liberal councillor Isabelle Shapiro, most passionate about planning, community safety and public art, on track to be re-elected, along with new face Sean Carmichael for the Liberal Party.
Incumbent councillor Lucinda Regan of Resident’s First Woollahra is set to be re-elected, according to predictions by ABC.
Cooper Ward
7,884 electors were enrolled in this ward. There are three councillors to be elected from nine candidates.
The Liberal Party is leading with 45.3% of votes, Sarah Swan, advocate for recreational facilities and open spaces, is likely to be elected. RFW have 31.5% of votes and incumbent Luise Elsing, first elected in 2012, is also likely to be re-elected.
The Greens are at 23.2% of votes, and no certain elected candidate, however Nicola Grieve, hoping to “ensure climate change remains at the forefront” of council decisions, has 60 votes, tying with Liberal candidate Sarah Swan, but incumbent RFW Luise Elsing has the most votes for a candidate in this ward at 83.
Double Bay Ward
8,013 electors were enrolled in this ward and three councillors will be elected from six candidates.
The Liberal Party is leading at 54.4% of votes. Incumbent Toni Zeltser, advocate for the restoration of the former Woollahra Library at Double Bay, looks likely to be elected.
RFW is at 45.6% of the vote and incumbent Mark Silcocks, hoping to preserve heritage and public space, will also likely be re-elected. The third candidate is undecided, but Deputy Mayor Richard Shields is in the running for the Liberal Party.
Paddington Ward
8,254 electors were enrolled in this ward with three councillors elected from nine candidates.
Paddington is the only Woollahra Ward with a party other than the Liberals leading in votes. Residents’ First Woollahra currently has 37.8% of votes, followed by the Greens with 32.3% of votes.
The Liberal Party has 30% of votes in Paddington Ward.
ABC’s predictions have filled all three seats, incumbent RFW Harriet Price, passionate about providing an active voice to residents, incumbent Green Matthew Robertson, advocate for affordable housing and climate change action, and incumbent Liberal Peter Cavanagh, passionate about finding inventive ways to provide revenue for council.
Vaucluse Ward
8,007 electors were enrolled in this ward and three councillors will be elected from six candidates.
The Liberal Party is ahead with 61.3% of votes. RFW has 38.7%.
New face Merrill Witt for RFW, seeking to stop overdevelopment in Woollhara, is predicted to get a seat, as are incumbents Mary-Lou Jarvis and Mayor Susan Wynne for the Liberal Party.
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Predictions may change before elected councillors are announced on December 20.
