PREFERENCE deals could lead to Harrison ward candidate Intaj Khan being elected to Wyndham Council.
The Truganina resident has received the highest number of preferences for the ward, which takes in Point Cook and Truganina.
Mr Khan received six second preferences and three third preferences from Mohammed Isah, Stephen Thurling, Leigh Ryan, Elizabeth Hindley, Freshta Saweqa, Gurpreet Singh, Bob Fairclough, Shaheedabanu Shaikh and Dinesh Gourisetty.
Mr Khan said most of his preferences had come from other Labor-aligned candidates or candidates with policies similar to his.
In Chaffey ward, which covers Hoppers Crossing and Tarneit, Gautam Gupta and Marie Brittan have received the most preferences.
Neil Anderson, Lyndell Giordimaina, Deborah Brown, Jeanette Magro and Nicholas Angelowitsch, all members of the Fair Rates Committee, directed preferences to Mr Gupta.
The committee was started in August after shock rate rises for properties in parts of Tarneit.
Ms Brittan received preferences from councillors Shane Bourke and Kim McAliney, as well as George Tomkins and Michelle Wharrie.
In Iramoo, Heather Marcus and Peter Maynard got the most second preferences. Mr Maynard received preferences from Ramandeep Singh, Anthony Cahill and Cynthia Manson, while Cr Marcus was preferenced by Peter Gibbons, Kylie Cowie and Nathan Tavendale.
Victorian Electoral Commission spokeswoman Sue Lang said preferences played a vital role in fields with many candidates. If no candidate receives a majority of first preference votes, preferences are distributed until an absolute majority is achieved.
Ballot papers were posted to houses last week and must be returned by October 26.
