Mayor Adele Hegedich has been ousted, two former mayors have been re-elected and three other incumbents have been voted off Wyndham council in a surprising election result.
Provisional results released this morning show the new-look council will have an independent majority, seven new faces and only three women.
In a hotly-contested race that included a state-record of 41 candidates, independent Tony Hooper secured a place in Harrison ward after receiving the highest primary vote.
Mr Hooper made national headlines last year when he announced his intention to turn Point Cook into its own sovereignty.
Former two-time mayor Kim McAliney made a triumphant return after being ousted in the 2012 election, and is joined by fellow independent and Williams Landing resident Aaron An.
Labor councillor Intaj Khan said he was excited to have secured a second term in office.
“It’s a migrant community now, and this election result is a demonstration of that,” Mr Khan said.
Only a handful of votes separated those who did and did not make the cut in Harrison ward, with Ms McAliney securing 6172 votes after preferences, and independent John Frost missing out on a spot by only one vote (6171 after preferences).
Over in Chaffey ward, incumbent councillors Gautam Gupta, Marie Brittan and Michele Wharrie failed to win re-election, while fellow incumbent John Gibbons was re-elected for the seventh time.
Both Ms Brittan and Ms Wharrie were philosophical about their respective losses, with Ms Wharrie saying: “the community has spoken”.
Henry Barlow, a two-time mayor who served on council from 1997-2008, is back on deck, joining first-timers Josh Gilligan and 2015 Wyndham citizen of the year Walter Villagonzalo.
In Iramoo, Heather Marcus and Peter Maynard were re-elected for their fourth and second terms respectively after polling highly in first preferences, while independent and lifelong Wyndham resident Mia Shaw made the cut following her first-ever election campaign.
Ms Marcus said she was “delighted” with having the highest primary vote of all the 95 candidates who ran in the election.
The results will be officially declared at the Wyndham council chambers at 5.30pm Wednesday.
