{"id":256060,"date":"2020-04-01T14:49:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T04:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=256060"},"modified":"2020-07-11T12:24:37","modified_gmt":"2020-07-11T02:24:37","slug":"otto-leads-in-mayoral-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2020\/04\/01\/otto-leads-in-mayoral-poll\/","title":{"rendered":"Otto Leads In Mayoral Poll"},"content":{"rendered":"
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South Burnett 2020 Mayoral candidates Brett Otto, Toni Ralph, Abigail Andersson and Keith Campbell at the NaTDA Candidates Forum in Nanango before COVID-19 cancelled other events<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April 1, 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n

South Burnett Mayoral candidate Brett Otto has opened up a 470-vote lead over incumbent Keith Campbell in official polling figures after last Saturday’s Council elections.<\/p>\n

However, southburnett.com.au<\/strong> understands Mr Otto’s lead is actually greater as updates on the Electoral Commission of Queensland website have been stalled since Monday.<\/p>\n

In a video released on social media, Mr Otto said the numbers were “looking promising” but he was not prepared to claim victory yet.<\/p>\n

“I will wait for the final declaration from the ECQ,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Otto thanked his supporters throughout the campaign whom he said had been “absolutely tremendous”.<\/p>\n

Incumbent mayor\u00a0Keith Campbell said there were an estimated 2000 postal votes still to be counted and preference votes to be distributed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“If the trend at the moment continues with the postal votes and the preferences, then the gap would be sufficiently wide for Brett to become mayor,” he said.<\/p>\n

The counting of postal votes is due to begin on Wednesday or Thursday.<\/p>\n

A final result in the mayoral poll may be known as early as Friday.<\/p>\n

Mayoral candidate Abigail Andersson conceded she could not win.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“The time has come to say thank you,” she wrote on social media.<\/p>\n

“While I\u2019ve been unsuccessful I do feel honoured by each and every vote and I remain as always dedicated to fighting for fair and supporting the \u2018doers\u2019 in our community.<\/p>\n

“I continue to seek to be worth knowing, not well-known, and to that end I hope you were proud to support me.”<\/p>\n

Mayoral candidate Toni Ralph also conceded defeat with a statement on social media.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Thank you to those people who thought I would make a good leader – those that lent me the A-frames, gave me their support at the booths, helped me with my flyers; my husband and daughter for bearing with me, the rest of my family for giving me text message support every other day,” she said.<\/p>\n

“I misunderstood what it takes to be elected as Mayor. Hope you all survive the next coming years of uncertainty.<\/p>\n

“I have a new job prospect and look like not being a part of the South Burnett for too much longer.”<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the South Burnett’s Division 6, sitting councillor Ros Heit is going neck-to-neck with candidate Scott Henschen.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

At 12:30pm on Wednesday, Cr Heit had a 71-vote lead.<\/p>\n

Results are much clearer in Division 4 where newcomer Kirstie Schumacher has defeated sitting councillor Terry Fleischfresser.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Cr Kathy Duff has had an easy victory in Division 5 over Colleen Bird.<\/p>\n

In Division 3, sitting councillor Danita Potter has defeated challenger Rhonda Trivett.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

NB. Official counts for\u00a0the South Burnett, Cherbourg, Toowoomba and Gympie councils are being updated in our\u00a0earlier report<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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