2013 Geelong mayoral election
A by-election for the City of Greater Geelong mayor occurred on 24 November 2013. This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Geelong's first directly elected mayor Keith Fagg and saw Darryn Lyons of the Liberal Party become Geelong's second directly elected mayor with a first-preference vote of 29.79%. Lyons' nearest rival, Stephanie Asher, achieved a primary vote of 14.43%.
| ||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 78.28% [1] | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||
Background
Geelong's first directly elected mayor, Keith Fagg, resigned from his position in August 2013, just over a year following his election, citing health reasons.[2]
Campaign
Over the course of the mayoral campaign, the local media focused heavily on Darryn Lyons and former mayor Ken Jarvis.
On 6 November, the Geelong Advertiser hosted a Mayoral candidate forum with a crowd of over 600 people, and Ken Jarvis won the exit poll which was taken by 200 people.[3]
Controversy arose when Geelong businessman Frank Costa publicly backed Jarvis; stating that the "state government wouldn't muck around" and that it "may intervene and sack the council if Ken Jarvis isn't elected".[4] The next day, however, Victorian Premier Denis Napthine, along with Costa, denied claims that the council would be sacked.[5][6]
Candidates
A total of 16 candidates ran in this election.:
| Candidate nominations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Lily Stefanovic | ||
| Independent | Stephen Yewdall | ||
| Independent | Greg Jones | ||
| Independent | Stephanie Asher | ||
| Liberal | Darryn Lyons | ||
| Victorian Greens | Greg Lacey | ||
| Labor | John Mitchell | Former Mayor of Geelong. | |
| Liberal | Kenneth Edward Jarvis | Former Mayor of Geelong. | |
| Independent | Margarette Lewis | ||
| Independent | Tom O'Conner | ||
| Independent | Anthony Aitken | ||
| Independent | John Smith | ||
| Independent | Rodger Marsden | ||
| Liberal | Angelo Kakouros | ||
| Independent | John Robert Irvine | Current councillor representing Geelong's Austin Ward. | |
| Independent | Doug Mann | ||
References
- https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/Results/geelongresults2013by.html
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-16/geelong27s-first-directly-elected-mayor2c-keith-fagg2c-set-t/4891996
- http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/ken-jarvis-scores-narrow-win-in-geelong-advertisers-mayoral-debate/story-fnjuhovy-1226754789435
- http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/geelong-mayoral-election-20131112-2xem7.html
- http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/premier-denies-claims-he-may-sack-geelong-council-20131114-2xjqk.html
- http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/debate-hots-up-as-frank-costa-denies-sack-council-claims/story-fnjuhovy-1226759744789