2013 Greater Geelong mayoral by-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%.

City of Greater Geelong Mayoral By-Election, 2013
← 2012 24 November 2013 2017 →
Turnout78.26% [1]
 
Candidate Darryn Lyons Stephanie Asher
Party Liberal Independent
Popular vote 38,406 18,606
Percentage 29.79% 14.43%

Mayor before election

Keith Fagg
Independent

Elected mayor

Darryn Lyons
Liberal

Background

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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

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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

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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

Results

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References

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  1. ^ "Council countbacks". www.vec.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Geelong Mayor Keith Fagg quits". ABC News. 16 August 2013.
  3. ^ Ken Jarvis Scores Narrow Win In Geelong Advertisers Mayoral DebateGeelong Advertiser Archived 14 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Geelong mayoral election". 12 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Premier denies claims he may sack Geelong council". 14 November 2013.
  6. ^ Debate Hots Up As Frank Costa Denies Sack Council ClaimsGeelong Advertiser Archived 19 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine