URALLA’S first popularly elected mayor is all but certainly incumbent Uralla Shire Council mayor Michael Pearce.
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About 3500 of the 4500 registered voter's votes are counted, and Mr Pearce has an almost unassailable lead, commanding more than 43 per cent of the vote.
His nearest rival, deputy mayor Bob Crouch, is sitting on just over 21 per cent.
The result validates Mr Pearce’s previous term as mayor where he lead the Uralla community through the recent forced amalgamation scare.
With the mayor elected out of Ward B and Sandra Bambarry moving to Queensland, four out of the five remaining Ward B candidates will be successful.
Bob Crouch is a shoe-in, sitting on over 35 per cent of the vote.
Natasha Ledger and Levi Sampson, who each have about 10 per cent, are also tracking well with more than 1400 votes counted.
But the redistribution of Michael Pearce’s primary votes could make the difference in the final places.
Mr Pearce has 421 votes so far.
With Deb Pulkkinen on 76 and Mark Dusting on 73, the margin is slight and every vote will count.
In Ward A, more than 1100 votes have been counted.
Kevin Ward is looking very strong with more than 35 per cent so far.
Rebert Bell is running second with more than 16 per cent, and Isabel Strutt and Tara Toomey are both on about 12 per cent. Of the current councillors seeking re-election, Leanne Cooper, and Mark Dusting are both in marginal positions and could possibly lose their seats.
Counting will continue in the coming days but it could be a week before we have an official result.
In Walcha Ward A, Rachael Wellings won 112 votes, Peter Blomfield 105 and Rob Blomfield 66, while in Ward B, Clint Lyon won 104, Eric Noakes 86 and Barry Spry 51. In Ward C, Jennifer Kealy sits on 118, Scott Kermode 67 and Lloyd Levingston 57, while in Ward D, Bill Heazlett won 98, Kevin Ferrier 97, Donna Garrad 87 and Steve McCoy 57.
