Tamworth Regional Council election ballot draw: New England North West council election ballot draw results

In order, candidates were drawn out of a hat on Thursday for the top spots on the ballot.

In Gunnedah, nine candidates will be elected and were pulled out in order.

First out of the gate was Ann-Maree Luke followed by Peter Wills, Murray O'Keefe, David Moses, Jamie Chaffey, Colleen Fuller, Juliana McArthur, Robert Hoddle, Kate McGrath, Wendy Eriksen, Michael Silver and Robert Hooke.

In Armidale, it was Samuel Coupland, Philip Blackmore, Robert Richardson, Paul Gaddes, Stephen Mepham, Todd Redwood, Peter Bailey, Craig Pevitt, Bradley Widders, Paul Packham, Kathleen Clare, Margaret Sims, Callan Schaefer and Jon Galletly.

Margaret O'Connor will run a ticket with Gordon Cope, David Newberry, Janet Edmonds, Ju Denton and Trevor Esplin.

While Dorothy Robinson will head a Greens ticket with Elizabeth O'Hara, Gaynor McGrath, Richard Sheridan, Patricia Schultz and Dora Koops.

The Australian Labor Party will also stand on a ticket led by Debra O'Brien with Susan McMichael, Caroline Chapman, Yvonne Langenberg, April Youngberry and Margaret Finley.

Uralla had eight candidates nominate for Ward A, with Bruce McMullen first on the ballot paper followed by Tom O'Connor, Struan Sutherland, Robert Bell, Isabel Strutt, Tara Toomey, Leonie Petrov and Stephanie Van Eyk.

For Ward B it was Sarah Burrows, Timothy Bower, Natasha Ledger, Stephen Powley, Bob Crouch, Tracey Nagle, David Mailler, Leanne Doran and Jann Karp.

Walcha's election will be uncontested, with the number of candidates equal to or less than the number to be elected.

Ward A includes Mark Berry and Gregory Schaefer, Ward B includes Clinton Lyon, Eric Noakes and Anne-Marie Pointing, Ward C includes Nena Hicks and Scott Kermode and Ward D includes Michael Luchich, Aurora Reilly and Kevin Ferrier.

BEDE BURKE had the luck of the draw when the NSW Electoral Commission returning officer Jodie McKenna pulled his name out of the bag first on Thursday.

The Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) election candidate said he was thrilled to be the first on the ballot paper of 14 independent candidates and a Labor ticket of five others for December's election.

"How lucky am I?" he said.

"You know what, it's just a thrill, it's a real thrill and I heard that number one pretty much always gets there and I'm not taking anything for granted.

"I've seen so many draws and with 14, it was a real thrill and I couldn't believe it."

Voters will pick in order from Mr Burke, Judy Coates, Helen Tickle, Phil Betts, Jim Maxwell, Russell Webb, Mark Rodda, Ray Tait, Marjolyn Thomas, Stephen Maher, Chris Buckman, Brooke Southwell, Marc Sutherland and Charles Impey.

The five candidates on the ALP ticket are Stephen Mears, Denise McHugh, Sergio Rindo, Michael Lawler and Laura Hughes.

The Leader has asked each election candidate it profiles to bring an item that means something to them; whether it be personal, symbolic or representative of a professional achievement, and give the public an explanation why.

Candidates waited up to three hours for the ballot paper draw in Tamworth on Thursday, until the returning officer got the green light from the NSW Electoral Commission to go ahead.

Names were then placed in clear containers, put into a sealed bag, and shaken for luck before each candidate was drawn.

Mr Burke said with 19 candidates there's a broad scope of representatives to choose from.

"We have 19 candidates and there's a lot of confusion for voters and electors, so we'll see how it goes," he said.

"It was interesting that most of the existing councillors ended up grouped together."

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On the existing council, mayor Col Murray, Cr Glenn Inglis and Cr Juanita Wilson chose not to stand for another election.

Council elections are back on track after COVID-19 threw a spanner in the works not once but twice, leaving councillors in the hot seat a year longer than expected.

At least 124 out of 128 local councils across the state will hold an election come Saturday, December 4 and voting is compulsory.

Tamworth Regional Council is undivided, which means it has no wards and councillors are elected to represent the entire local government area.

There are nine seats up for the taking, including the top job as mayor Col Murray announced he will retire this year after his ninth term in public office.

Voters can find more information about the elections online at the NSW Electoral Commission website.

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