2018 Melbourne lord mayoral by-election

2018 Melbourne lord mayoral by-election
← 2016 23 April – 11 May 2018 2020 →
 
Candidate Sally Capp Jennifer Yang Rohan Leppert
Party Independent Labor Greens
Popular vote 19,412 11,774 11,296
Percentage 25.38% 15.39% 14.77%
2CP 53.05% 46.95%
Lord Mayor of Melbourne before election

Robert Doyle
Team Doyle

Elected Lord Mayor

Sally Capp
Independent

The 2018 Melbourne lord mayoral by-election was held from 23 April until 11 May 2018 to elect the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, following the resignation of Robert Doyle. The election used a preferential voting system and was held by postal ballot.[1]

Background

The City of Melbourne is a local government municipality consisting of nine councillors, a lord mayor and a deputy lord mayor, who are elected for a four-year term. The incumbent lord mayor, Robert Doyle, was first elected in the 2008 City of Melbourne election.

On 15 December 2017, Cr Tessa Sullivan resigned from the council. Sullivan, who had been elected on the Team Doyle ticket alongside Doyle, lodged a complaint with the City of Melbourne chief executive Ben Rimmer. In her complaint, Sullivan alleged that Doyle had sexually harassed and indecently assaulted her. On 17 December, Doyle released a statement on Twitter, which said he had not been informed of the details of the allegations. He announced he would take a month's leave while an investigation was carried out, stressing that his standing aside "must not be interpreted as any concession or admission".[2][3]

Further allegations were made against Doyle in January 2018.[4] On 4 February 2018, Doyle resigned as Lord Mayor of Melbourne.[5]

Candidates

The candidates for lord mayor at the by-election were:

Candidates (14) in ballot paper order[1]
Party Candidate Background
  Independent Qun Xie Taxation officer, accountant, economist and company executive director.[6]
  Independent Sally Capp Former CEO of the Committee for Melbourne, former Victorian Agent-General in London.[7]
  Independent Luke Downing[8]
  Greens Rohan Leppert City of Melbourne councillor and Chair of the Arts, Culture, and Heritage portfolios.[9]
  Independent Sally Warhaft Broadcaster, anthropologist and writer involved with the Wheeler Centre.[10]
  Independent Alex Macdonald Local business owner.[11]
  Independent Allan Watson Former councillor and Lord Mayor, 1993.[11]
  Labor Jennifer Yang Former City of Manningham mayor and businesswoman.[12]
  Independent Katie Sfetkidis Independent artist.[13]
  Independent Gary Morgan Executive chairman of Roy Morgan Research and pollster.[14]
  Independent Nathalie Nicole O'Sughrue Employment Services Industry, Business coach.[11]
  Independent Michael Burge Psychologist, Liberal candidate for Thomastown in the 2010 Victorian state election, OAM.[11]
  Liberal Ken Ong Businessman and former City of Melbourne councillor.
  Animal Justice Party Bruce Poon[15]

Results

2018 Melbourne lord mayoral by-election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Sally Capp 19,412 25.38 +25.38
Labor Jennifer Yang 11,774 15.39 +15.39
Greens Rohan Leppert 11,296 14.77 −6.50
Independent Sally Warhaft 6,837 8.94
Liberal Ken Ong 6,769 8.85
Independent Gary Morgan 6,412 8.38
Independent Qun Xie 3,449 4.51
Independent Allan Watson 2,488 3.25
Independent Nathalie Nicole O'Sughrue 2,087 2.73
Independent Michael Burge 1,571 2.05
Independent Alex MacDonald 1,387 1.81
Animal Justice Bruce Poon 1,243 1.63
Independent Katie Sfetkidis 933 1.22
Independent Luke Downing 834 1.09
Two-candidate-preferred result
Independent Sally Capp 40,579 53.05 +53.05
Labor Jennifer Yang 35,913 46.95 +46.95
Independent gain from Team Doyle Swing N/A

References

  1. ^ a b c "Melbourne City Council Lord Mayor by-election results". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020.
  2. ^ Perkins, Miki; Lucas, Clay (17 December 2017). "Lord mayor Robert Doyle takes leave after sex harassment claim by councillor who quit". The Age. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Melbourne Lord Mayor stands aside over indecent assault allegations". ABC News. 17 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  4. ^ More of Robert Doyle's alleged victims keep silent fearing they too will be 'vilified'
  5. ^ Lucas, Clay; Perkins, Miki (4 February 2018). "Robert Doyle quits as lord mayor of Melbourne". The Age. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. ^ Xie, Qun. "Candidate Questionnaire and Answers" (PDF). Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2018.
  7. ^ Lenaghan, Nick (1 March 2018). "Property Council's Sally Capp runs for Melbourne Lord Mayor". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  8. ^ Downing, Luke. "Candidate Questionnaire and Answers" (PDF). Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2018.
  9. ^ Lucas, Clay (8 March 2018). "Greens councillor Rohan Leppert to run for lord mayor of Melbourne". The Age. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  10. ^ Alcorn, Gay (5 April 2018). "Ending Melbourne's 'toxic culture': Sally Warhaft on why she wants to be mayor". the Guardian. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  11. ^ a b c d "Melbourne City Council Lord Mayor by-election candidates". Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Interest grows in Melbourne mayor job". Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  13. ^ Watts, Richard. "Artist runs for Lord Mayor". Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  14. ^ "Gary Morgan". Roy Morgan. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  15. ^ Poon, Bruce. "Candidate Questionnaire and Answers" (PDF). Victorian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2018.