THERE will be at least five new mayors in Northern Tasmania when the dust settles from this month's local government elections.
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Yesterday's Tasmanian Electoral Commission candidate announcements confirmed the retirement of mayors Kim Polley (Northern Midlands), Barry Easther (West Tamar), Sarah Schmerl (Break O'Day), and Mike Gaffney (Latrobe), while Roger Broomhall (George Town) will only vie for a councillor position.
Dorset mayor Barry Jarvis will stand unopposed, as will Bridget Archer, who is the sole candidate for George Town mayor.
The remaining northern councils will be part of a record-breaking scrap, with a whopping 91 candidates across the state standing for mayoral roles, while 143 candidates have nominated for deputy mayor.
Deputy Electoral Commissioner Andrew Hawkley said the two-week vote would see 476 individual candidates fight for 263 council positions - an average of about 16 candidates per electorate.
Mr Hawkley said the high numbers were a result of the new all-in, all-out policy - with all positions now declared vacant every four years, as opposed to staggering the vote every two years.
Launceston
A FIELD of 25 candidates will fight for 12 seats on the City of Launceston council, with sitting mayor Albert van Zetten facing three challengers for the top job.
Darren Alexander, Hugh McKenzie and Ted Sands will fight Mr van Zetten for mayor, while the position of deputy mayor will be contested by Jim Cox, Tom Ellison, Danny Gibson, Alan Harris and Rob Soward.
Incumbent aldermen Robin McKendrick and Tony Peck will recontest their seats, but Annette Waddle and Ian Norton will step down, while Rosemary Armitage will leave to continue her role as Launceston MLC.
The death of former deputy mayor Jeremy Ball last month also leaves another position vacant.
The remaining Launceston alderman candidates include Maddie Austin, Kyle Barrett, Thane Brady, Philippa Cassidy, Leon Cooper, Andrea Dawkins, Peter Elliott, Janie Finlay, Ruth Haw, Nick Jones, Krista Preece, Karina Stojansek, Emma Williams, and Simon Wood.
It is the second-largest field of candidates after Hobart City (30 candidates).
West Tamar
INCUMBENT councillors Peter Kearney, Christina Holmdahl, and Rick Shegog, as well as Riverside challenger Mark Price, will contest the void left by retiring mayor Barry Easther.
Deputy mayor of West Tamar will be contested by current councillors Joy Allen and Tim Woinarski, as well as Sven Weiner from Swan Point.
There are 17 nominations for nine council positions. All councillors except Mr Easther are recontesting their seats.
George Town
BRIDGET Archer will stand unopposed for George Town mayor, with incumbent mayor Roger Broomhall nominating only for a council seat.
Sitting councillors Heather Barwick, Stephen Geale, Dean Gibbons and Tim Parish are all candidates for deputy, with Peter Parkes and Tim Harris also nominating.
There are 19 candidates for nine council seats, including former mayor Doug Burt. Cr Jacqui Burt will not recontest.
Northern Midlands
SITTING deputy mayor David Downie and former Labor federal MP Dick Adams will go toe-to-toe for Northern Midlands mayor following the retirement of the long-standing Kim Polley.
Incumbent councillors Ian Goninon, Richard Goss, Mary Knowles and Janet Lambert will vie for deputy mayor.
A total 10 candidates will fight for nine council positions - including former state MP Michael Polley, husband of retiring mayor Kim. Councillors Jeff Carins and Matthew Brooks will not recontest.
Meander Valley
CRAIG Perkins has been challenged by incumbent councillor Andrew Connor for Meander Valley mayor. Mr Connor was a Labor candidate for Bass in this year's state election.
Sitting councillors Rodney Synfield and Deborah White will vie for deputy mayor, as will Michael Kelly.
There are 13 candidates for nine positions. Incumbent councillors Pat Frost, Ian Howard, and Rodney Linger will not recontest.
Flinders Island
SITTING councillor Gerald Willis will challenge Carol Cox for the title of Flinders Island mayor.
Incumbent councillors Marc Cobham, Peter Rhodes and David Williams have nominated for deputy mayor, with a total of 12 candidates to fight for seven council positions.
Councillor Ronald Wise will not recontest.
Dorset
BARRY Jarvis will again stand unopposed for Dorest Council mayor, with five candidates fighting to be his new deputy following the retirement of John Beswick. Incumbent councillor Steven Arnold is up against Lawrence Archer, Maxwell Hall, Greg Howard and Dale Jessup for the role.
There are 18 candidates for nine council positions, including former mayor Peter Partridge, with sitting councillors Leonie Stein, Jill Probert, Jeffrey Jennings not recontesting.
Break O'Day
IT will be a four-way race for mayor at Break O'Day following the retirement of Sarah Schmerl, with sitting councillors Glenn McGuniess, Hannah Reubenach, and Mick Tucker, plus Timothy Warren of Four Mile Creek, nominating for the top role.
There are six candidates for deputy mayor, including incumbent councillors John Le Fevre, John McGiveron, Barry Le Fevre and Margaret Osborne, with Peter Paulsen and Kylie Wright also putting their hands up.
A total 17 candidates will fight for nine places on the council. Councillors Donna Coulson and Reon Johns will not recontest.
Latrobe
NOMINATIONS remain open for Latrobe Council with only eight candidates so far in the running for nine positions.
Current councillors Peter Freshney and Mike McLaren will contest the Latrobe mayoral vote, following the forced retirement of Mersey MLC Mike Gaffney.
Cr John Perkins had also expressed intent to run for mayor, but reportedly missed the deadline. The reopening of nominations may however give him another chance.
There will be a strong contest for deputy mayor, featuring councillors Dayna Dennison, Rick Rockliff and Lesley Young, as well as Graeme Brown.
Cr Rob Beveridge will not recontest his seat.
Glamorgan-Spring Bay
MAYOR Bertrand Cadart faces competition from current deputy Jennifer Crawford and businessman Michael Kent in his bid for re-election. Sitting councillors Cheryl Arnol and Jenny Woods have nominated for deputy mayor, as have Kenneth Gregson, John Heck, and Britt Steiner.
There are 17 candidates for eight council positions. Councillors Michael Davis and Dr Craig Johnston will not recontest.