This is a list of results for the 2024 New South Wales local elections in the Hunter Region.
Hunter, also known as Greater Newcastle, covers nine local government areas (LGAs), including the City of Newcastle and the City of Lake Macquarie.
Cessnock
Cessnock City Council is composed of a directly-elected mayor and four multi-member wards electing three councillors each.
In January 2024, D Ward councillor Paul Paynter left Cessnock Independents to join the Liberal Party, which won three seats in 2021. However, the Liberals are unable to recontest after missing the candidate nomination deadline. B Ward Liberal councillor Karen Jackson formally endorsed Labor.
Olsen Independents became "Cessnock Independents" in 2023, and B Ward councillor Ian Olsen announced in January 2024 that he would not seek re-election.
Cessnock mayor
Cessnock results +2024 New South Wales local elections: Cessnock Party Votes % Swing Seats Change Cessnock Independents 16,245 42.43 +17.4 5 1 Labor 15,563 40.65 −1.8 6 1 Independents 4,008 10.47 +9.4 1 1 Animal Justice 1,393 3.64 +3.6 0 Greens 1,080 2.82 −7.1 0 Formal votes 38,289 90.75 −3.24 Informal votes 3,905 9.25 +3.24 Total 42,194 100.00
A Ward
B Ward
C Ward
D Ward
Dungog
Dungog Shire Council is composed of three two-member wards, totalling six councillors, along with − starting at the 2024 election − a directly-elected mayor.
Labor endorsed one candidate for the election, while there were two Independent Labor candidates contesting.
Dungog results +2024 New South Wales local elections: Dungog Party Votes % Swing Seats Change 4,047 66.20 −10.46 3 1 753 12.32 +12.32 1 1 664 10.86 −2.63 1 649 10.62 +0.77 1 Formal votes 6,113 93.19 −2.15 Informal votes 447 6.81 +2.15 Total 6,560 100.0 6 Registered voters | turnout 7,565 86.72 +0.13
A Ward
B Ward
C Ward
Lake Macquarie
Maitland
Maitland City Council is composed of four three-member wards, totalling 12 councillors, as well as a directly-elected mayor.
Starting at this election, Central Ward was known as Ward 1, North Ward as Ward 2, East Ward as Ward 3 and West Ward as Ward 4.
The Liberal Party was unable to recontest the mayoral election, Ward 2, Ward 3 and Ward 4 after missing the candidate nomination deadline. Liberal Ward 2 councillor Mitchell Griffin became an Independent Liberal shortly before nominations closed in order to stay on the ballot. He endorsed both Penfold Independents and the Independent National group in Ward 4.
Maitland mayor
Maitland results +2024 New South Wales local elections: Maitland Party Votes % Swing Seats Change Penfold Independents 22,450 40.7 +12.7 6 2 Labor 19,199 34.8 −2.9 4 Liberal 3,141 5.7 −17.6 1 3 Independent Liberal 2,478 4.5 +4.5 1 1 Greens 6,388 11.6 +6.3 0 Independent National 1,501 2.7 +2.7 0 Independents 65 0.1 -6.1 0 Formal votes 55,222 92.7 Informal votes 4,322 7.3 Total 59,544 100.0 Registered voters / turnout 69,121 86.1
Ward 1
Ward 2
Ward 3
Ward 4
Muswellbrook
Muswellbrook Shire Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally to a single ward.
Muswellbrook results
Newcastle
Newcastle City Council is composed of a directly-elected mayor and four multi-member wards electing three councillors each.
Newcastle lord mayor
Newcastle results +2024 New South Wales local elections: Newcastle Party Votes % Swing Seats Change Labor 35,324 35.6 −5.2 5 1 Our Newcastle 23,306 23.5 +23.5 2 2 Greens 20,719 20.9 +4.3 3 1 Liberal 16,594 16.7 −1.7 2 1 Christians For Community 2,581 2.6 +2.58 0 Socialist Alliance 707 0.7 −0.2 0 Independents 87 0.1 +0.08 0 Formal votes 99,319 93.5 Informal votes 6,924 6.5 Total 106,243
Ward 1
Ward 2
Ward 3
Ward 4
Port Stephens
Port Stephens Council is composed of three three-member wards, as well as a directly-elected mayor.
"Save Port Stephens" has been formed as a group for the election, contesting the mayoral election, Central Ward and East Ward. The group also chose Neil Turner as their West Ward lead candidate, but ended up not contesting that ward.
Incumbent Liberal councillor Matt Bailey is not seeking re-election in East Ward after winning preselection for Ward 3 on the City of Newcastle.
Port Stephens results +2024 New South Wales local elections: Port Stephens Party Votes % Swing Seats Change 19,936 42.64% +1.04% 4 - 4,534 9.70% +0.60% 1 - 1,234 2.64% –0.76% 0 - 5,159 11.03% +11.03% 1 +1 15,896 34.00% –11.90% 3 –1 Formal votes 46,759 91.54% Informal votes 4,322 8.46% Turnout 51,081
Central
East
West
Singleton
Singleton Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally to a single ward, as well as a directly elected mayor.
At the 2021 election, seven independents were elected, as well as one Labor member and one Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFFP) member. However, the election was re-run in 2022 after the New South Wales Electoral Commission's online voting system crashed, preventing 55 people in Singleton from casting their vote.
All councillors elected in 2021 were re-elected in 2022 with the exception of independent Belinda Charlton, who was defeated by Labor's Sarah Johnstone.
Councillor Malinda McLachlan left the SFFP in December 2022 after comments made by party leader Robert Borsak. As a result, SFFP is not recontesting Singleton in 2024, while McLachlan is running as an independent.
The Greens and the Libertarian Party are contesting for the first time.
Singleton results
Upper Hunter
Upper Hunter Shire Council is composed of nine councillors elected proportionally to a single ward.
In December 2022, Greens councillor Sue Abbott resigned from council after she was reported to the Office of Local Government while on compassionate leave following the death of her son. A countback was won by independent Belinda McKenzie, and the Greens are not re-contesting Upper Hunter.
On 1 May 2024, councillor Elizabeth Flaherty was dismissed from council following claims of "antagonism" and bullying complaints. An appeal from Flaherty to review the dismissal was itself dismissed several weeks later.
Flannery, McKenzie, Ron Campbell and Lee Watts are not contesting the election.
Upper Hunter results
Notes
References