The NSW Electoral Commission is waiting on 3,206 postal votes to return by 6pm, Friday, September 27, before preference counting begins in the Central Coast Council elections to elect 15 councillors.
A total of 19,938 postal votes were given out and 16,732 have been returned and scrutinised.
Already, voting shows the Coast has elected four Liberals, five Labor and two Team Central Coast councillors.
The voting in each ward will come down to preferences for the third councillor position while positions two and three are still unknown in the Budgewoi ward.
As at Wednesday noon, Labor’s Helen Crowley in Budgewoi ward had 36 per cent of the vote and will get elected.
Liberal Independent Doug Eaton is next on 18.63 per cent of the vote, Team Central Coast’s John Mouland has 16.76 per cent of the vote and Greens candidate Sue Wynn is on 15.33 per cent.
In fourth position is Central Coast Heart with 10.34 per cent of the vote and below the line candidates make up 3.3 per cent.
In the Gosford West ward Lawrie McKinna from Team Central Coast had almost 34 per cent of the vote; Labor’s Sharon Walsh will get in with 28 per cent and the Liberal’s Jared Wright had 22.54 per cent of the vote so that ward is as good as finalised.
The four ungrouped candidates below the line have a total of less than 14 per cent of the vote.
In the Gosford West ward, the first two positions are clear with Liberal’s Trent McWaide and Labor’s Belinda Neal getting elected, both with almost 30 per cent of the vote.
The third position will be determined by preferences between former mayor Jane Smith; Ratepayers’ Choice Kevin Brooks and Coasties Who Care’s Lisa Bellamy.
The Entrance ward will see Liberal Rachel Stanton and Labor’s Margot Castles take the first two positions.
The third councillor again will be determined on preferences between the Animal Justice Party’s Sarah Ryan, Corinne Lamont and Team Central Coast Sharon Brownlee although she’s further behind at this stage.
The Wyong ward looks set to have Liberal John McNamara, Labor Kyle MacGregor and Team Central Coast Kyla Daniels.
The final election results will not be known until early October with the mayor election scheduled for October 8 at the Council Chambers.
The mayor is elected by the councillors.
Merilyn Vale