A THANKFUL Albert van Zetten was on track last night to continue his reign as Launceston's longest continually serving mayor.
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With 20 per cent of returns counted, Alderman van Zetten led with 46 per cent, followed by Hugh McKenzie (23 per cent), Ted Sands (16.5 per cent) and Darren Alexander (14.5 per cent).
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Alderman Van Zetten's time in the top job has already extended past that of John Lees (1996-2001), having first been elected mayor of Launceston in 2007.
He said he was cautiously confident of securing a fourth term as mayor.
"I think one of the news services called it early in the night," Alderman van Zetten said.
"But I wasn't ready to go with it just then - especially after how tight it was [in 2009]."
Incumbent aldermen Danny Gibson and Rob Soward were neck-and-neck in the race for deputy mayor with about 28 per cent of the vote each.
Alderman Jim Cox was third with 23 per cent of the vote so far.
Andrea Dawkins, Janie Finlay, Robin McKendrick, Karina Stojansek and Simon Wood were in pole position to nab the remaining aldermen positions.
Incumbent Tony Peck also remained in the count.
In other Northern regions, former Lyons Labor MHR Dick Adams looked set to miss out on becoming Northern Midlands mayor to David Downie.
Mr Adams, however, looks a shoe-in for the council, along with former Tasmanian Labor speaker Michael Polley.
On the West Tamar, Christina Holmdahl led Rick Shegog on first preferences in the mayoral vote, with Peter Kearney, Joy Allen, Tim Woinarski, Lynden Ferguson, Richard Ireland, Carol Bracken and former Bass Labor MHR Geoff Lyons also likely to be elected to the council.
Cr Allen was also ahead in the vote for deputy mayor.
Incumbent Craig Perkins romped home in Meander Valley, reclaiming his mayoral position by 6.30pm from Andrew Connor.
An unopposed Barry Jarvis remains mayor of Dorset and Bridget Archer was elected unopposed as mayor of George Town, with Heather Barwick appearing to have taken the role of deputy mayor.
Incumbent councillor Mick Tucker looks likely to beat Hannah Rubenach to the Break O'Day mayor's chair with 40 per cent of the vote, while the flamboyant Bertrand Cadart appears to have lost out to businessman Michael Kent in the Glamorgan-Spring Bay mayoral race.
For updates go to www.examiner.com.au
