Three candidates have taken the lead in the race for Albany’s new council as the counting of primary votes continues. As of midday on October 15, 2023, just over half of the primary votes had been tallied for the 23 candidates vying for four available councillor positions.
Rebecca Stephens, a former member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Albany, is currently in the lead with more than 1,200 votes. She is closely followed by incumbent councillor and State Liberal candidate Tom Brough, who has received just under 900 votes. In third place is Robert Sutton, the longest-serving member of the current council, with approximately 700 votes.
Intense Competition for Fourth Spot
The contest for the fourth councillor position is proving to be highly competitive, with four candidates closely trailing the leaders. Ian Clarke, the outgoing head of the Albany Youth Support Association, currently holds around 570 votes. He is followed by incumbent councillor Malcolm Traill, who has garnered about 500 votes. Jennifer McRae, an advocate for forced adoption, has received approximately 470 votes, while former One Nation State candidate Michelle Kinsella has just under 400 votes.
Following these top candidates are James McFarlane, Gerrit Ballast, Merlyn Moon, Juliet Bateman, Bethany Findlay, Sarah Taylor, Adrian Fry, Delma Baesjou, Caleb Griffiths, Caitlin Rose Moran, Andrea Moss, Tamara Frewen, Amanda Cruse, Fabian Hardey, Lynda Mellows, and Melenna Cooper.
The primary vote counting process will be conducted under strict supervision, with scrutineers ensuring accuracy before preferences are distributed from the candidates with the lowest vote counts.
With the election still in progress, updates will be provided as the results continue to unfold.
