Greens Candidate Danielle Wheeler Secures Top Spot on Hawkesbury Council Ballot

In the lead-up to the 2024 NSW local government elections, the official ballot draw for the Hawkesbury Council took place at 2 p.m. today, determining the order of candidates in the upcoming election.

Greens candidate Danielle Wheeler clinched the top position on the ballot, followed by Independent Mary Lyons-Buckett and Labor’s Amanda Kotlash. Former Mayor Sarah McMahon drew the second-to-last spot, while former Liberal and now Independent candidate Nathan Zamprogno was positioned just ahead of her in spot H. The complete list of candidates, in order of the draw, can be seen in the table below.

It’s been a successful few days for Wheeler, who secured council approval on Tuesday night to fund The Women’s Cottage, enabling them to expand support services for local women and children affected by domestic violence. Additionally, she managed to delay the council’s covert attempt to sell a public land parcel with significant biodiversity value without a public tender or auction.

Shooters, Fishers and Farmer candidate Shane Djuric and Independent Mary Lyons-Buckett following today’s ballot draw at Hawkesbury Racecourse.

Hawkesbury residents will have the opportunity to select from 62 candidates vying for 12 positions on the Hawkesbury City Council. The Council is currently composed of a Mayor and eleven councillors. Notably, former Labor Councillor Barry Calvert and Liberal Councillor Patrick Conolly are the only two incumbents who will not be seeking re-election. Among the fresh faces are local businesswoman Angela McGuire and Independent candidate Bob Gribbin.

Campaigning is already well underway, with many candidates launching their platforms on social media and through the Hawkesbury Post. Former Hawkesbury Mayor Sarah McMahon has initiated her re-election bid on Facebook, despite not receiving the necessary endorsement from local Liberal Party members, as required by party rules. This election cycle presents additional challenges for McMahon, who will be campaigning without the support of her former campaign manager and boyfriend, Matthew Bennett. Furthermore, McMahon is preparing for a court appearance just five days after the election, following her recent arrest and the imposition of an AVO last month.

Below is the official list of Hawkesbury candidates in the order they will appear on the ballot following today’s draw.