The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) has advised that a countback procedure to fill an extraordinary vacancy in Brownbill Ward within the Greater Geelong City Council will take place at 12 noon on Monday 23 January 2023.
The extraordinary vacancy is due to the election of Councillor Sarah Mansfield to the Victorian Parliament.
The VEC advises that the vacancy will be filled by a countback of all formal votes from the 2020 Greater Geelong City Council, Brownbill Ward election (instead of voters voting in a by-election).
Votes will be redistributed to candidates who were unsuccessful at that general election, and who remain eligible to participate in the countback, to fill the extraordinary vacancy.
The countback is based on the proportional representation method of counting.
VEC Election Manager Kathy Georgiou:
The candidate who achieves the quota will be elected. If no participating candidate achieves the quota, following the distribution of votes to participating candidates, the candidate with the highest number of countback votes will be elected.
The countback will be held online via webinar. A link to the countback will be made available on the VEC website from 11:30 am on Monday 23 January.
Candidates and interested parties may observe the countback.
The result will be published on the VEC website and also in local newspapers.
