The 2021 Northern Territory local elections were held on 28 August 2021 to elect the councils of the 17 local government areas (LGAs) in the Northern Territory, Australia. Six councils also held mayoral elections.
303 candidates contested the elections to fill a total of 159 council and mayoral positions. Two councils did not have enough nominations to fill all vacancies, causing supplementary elections to be held.
A record number of voters were on the electoral roll, with an increase of more than 5,000 people compared to the 2017 elections. More than 25,000 people voted at an early voting centre.
Party changes before elections A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2021 elections. Council Ward Councillor Former party New party Date Alice Springs Unsubdivided Eli Melky Independent Country 8 February 2019 Alice Springs Unsubdivided Marli Banks Independent Country 14 June 2019 Alice Springs Unsubdivided Catherine Satour Independent Country 14 June 2019 Alice Springs Unsubdivided Matt Paterson Independent Territory Alliance 11 May 2020 Alice Springs Unsubdivided Matt Paterson Territory Alliance Independent Late 2020 Alice Springs Unsubdivided Eli Melky Federation Independent 20 August 2021
Campaign During the early voting period in mid-August, Darwin and Katherine were placed into a four-day lockdown because of a new COVID-19 case.
Results
Mayoral elections Mayors in italics did not recontest their positions. Council Before Result after preference distributionMayorPartyPartyCandidate%Result Alice Springs Damien Ryan Independent CLP IndependentMatt Paterson50.01 Independent gain Independent Jimmy Cocking 49.99Barkly Steve Edgington Independent CLP IndependentJeffrey McLaughlin65.29 Independent gain Independent Hal Ruger 34.71 Darwin Kon Vatskalis Independent Labor Ind. LaborKon Vatskalis57.23 Independent Labor hold Independent Amye Un 12.69Katherine Fay Miller Independent CLP IndependentLis Clark53.89 Independent gain Independent Kevin South 46.11Litchfield Maree Bredhauer Independent IndependentDoug Barden54.68 Independent gain Independent Maree Bredhauer 45.32Palmerston Athina Pascoe-Bell Independent IndependentAthina Pascoe-Bell73.99 Independent hold Independent Ryan Pettifer 15.61
Council totals Council Seats Independents Ind. Labor Independent CLP Greens Alice Springs 7 1 0 Barkly 10 1 Belyuen 5 Central Desert 4 Coomalie 4 Darwin 8 2 1 1 East Arnhem 6 Katherine 6 Litchfield 6 MacDonnell 6 Palmerston 7 Roper Gulf 11 Tiwi Islands 11 1 Victoria Daly 2 Wagait 5 West Arnhem 12 West Daly 5
Aftermath The Alice Springs mayoral election was decided by just two votes, the closest result that Northern Territory Electoral Commissioner Iain Loganathan said he had ever seen. Unsuccessful candidate Jimmy Cocking requested a new recount, but it was rejected by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal in October 2021.
By-elections Council Ward Before Change Result after preference distributionCouncillorPartyCauseDateDatePartyCandidate%CoomalieBatchelor Township20 November 2021 Independent Richard Luxton 60.00 Independent Bill Baldwin 26.15Central DesertAkityarre10 February 2022 Independent Rosslyn Campbell N/A Elected unopposedWest DalyNganmarriyanga10 February 2022 Independent Terry Sams N/A Elected unopposedEast ArnhemGumurr Gattjirrk17 February 2022 Independent Joe Djakala N/A Elected unopposedEast ArnhemGumurr Miyarkka17 February 2022 Independent Wesley Bandi Bandi Wunungmurra N/A Elected unopposedRoper GulfNumbulwar Numburindi17 February 2022 Independent Kathy-Anne Numamurdirdi N/A Elected unopposedEast ArnhemGumurr Miwatj7 July 2022 Independent Marrpalawuy Marika 61.74 Independent Wesley Dhamarrandji 18.79East ArnhemAnindilyakwa22 July 2022 Independent Lionel Jaragba N/A Elected unopposedEast ArnhemGumurr Miyarkka22 July 2022 Independent Bobby Wunungmurra N/A Elected unopposedDarwinWatersJustine GloverIndependentResignation3 May 20227 July 2022 Independent Kim Farrar 51.20 Independent CLP Gary Haslett 24.45 Central Desert Anmatjere 4 November 2022 No nominations receivedAlice SpringsUnsubdividedJimmy CockingIndependentResignation202229 October 2022 Independent Gavin Morris 56.77 Independent CLP Sean Heenan 43.23West ArnhemGunbalanya18 March 2023 Independent Gabby Gumurdul 70.80 Independent Owen Naborlhborlh 29.20BarklyAlyawarr6 April 2023 Independent Lucy Jackson N/A Independent Mark Peterson N/A Elected unopposed (two vacancies)East ArnhemGumurr Miwatj5 May 2023 Independent Marrpalawuy Marika 76.90 Independent Ineke Wallis 23.10BarklyPatta6 May 2023 Independent Elliot McAdam 33.83 Independent Sharon Lake 25.30MacDonnellRodinga19 May 2023 Independent Andrew Davis N/A Independent Aloyiscois Hayes N/A Elected unopposed (two vacancies)Central DesertAnmatjereN/AN/ANo nominations received4 November 202216 June 2023 Independent David McCormack N/A Elected unopposedCentral DesertSouthern Tanami16 June 2023 Independent Warren Williams N/A Elected unopposedMacDonnellLuritja Pintubi16 June 2023 Independent Tommy Jabanardi Conway 58.90 Independent Amos Egan 41.10 Belyuen Unsubdivided 13 July 2023 No nominations receivedKatherineUnsubdivided15 July 2023 Independent Kerrie Mott 27.39 Independent Peter McDougall 27.28Victoria DalyTimber Creek27 July 2023 Independent Deborah Jones N/A Elected unopposedTiwi IslandsBathurst IslandPeter KantillaIndependentResignation forced after not attending council meetings22 February 20233 August 2023 Independent John Ross Pilakui N/A Elected unopposed Roper Gulf Never Never 1 September 2023 No nominations receivedDarwinLyonsPaul ArnoldIndependentResignation3 May 20232 September 2023 Independent Sam Weston 53.03 Greens Suki Dorras-Walker 46.97West ArnhemKakadu9 September 2023 Independent Mickitja Onus 61.00 Independent Charlotte Meneer 39.00Tiwi IslandsBathurst Island28 September 2023 Independent Deanne Rioli N/A Elected unopposed Roper Gulf Never Never N/A N/A No nominations received 4 November 2022 9 September 2023 Independent Edna Prescilla Iles 56.93 Independent Cecilia Lake 43.07
See also 2021 Darwin City Council election 2021 Alice Springs Town Council election
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