Counting resumes in WA’s local government elections

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Counting is set to resume this morning for local government elections being held across the state.

Voting closed in WA’s local government regions yesterday afternoon, with counting by the state’s electoral commission due to pick up again on Sunday morning.

Voters in the City of Perth will be expected to decide whether current acting lord mayor Bruce Reynolds - who took over after Basil Zempilas made his run at state politics - should carry on in his position.

Reynolds is the immediate past president of the Perth Liberal branch, but resigned from the role when he became deputy lord mayor.

Councillor Catherine Lezer is also running for lord mayor, leading a ticket that presents itself as independent.

In campaign material, Lezer calls herself Perth’s "biggest cheerleader", cites her finance background and Heritage Council of WA role, and campaigns under the motto "independent, proven and ethical".

However, <a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/liberal-legacies-labor-loyalties-and-lone-wolves-the-factions-in-the-race-for-perth-lord-mayor-20251002-p5mzie.html" data-ffx-id="p5mzie">this masthead previous reported</a> Lezer applied to join the Liberal Party Perth Branch in September last year and was accepted, paying a $50 membership fee.

In the City of Fremantle, incumbent Hannah Fitzhardinge is fighting for her spot after five years as the port city’s mayor.

Her challengers include former Fremantle councillors Marija Vujcic and Ben Lawver.

She posted to social media on Saturday evening about the race.

"Off to bed without a clear result - but glad we’ve conducted a positive, professional campaign throughout," Fitzhardinge said.

"We’re not likely to have a result until around lunchtime <a></a>tomorrow when preferences have been distributed. Will keep you posted!"

Further north in the City of Joondalup former Liberal turned independent Ian Goodenough is running for the top job, after former mayor Albert Jacob announced he would not be re-contesting his position.

Goodenough was ousted from Federal parliament after losing a preselection contest for his federal seat of Moore, and subsequently turned his eye to local government.

Candidates in the field include former councillors Christine Hamilton-Prime and Daniel Kingston.

Other races to watch include over in the Shire of Harvey, where controversial candidate “Aussie Trump” has thrown his hat in the ring.

In his candidate profile he calls voters to elect him in order to “drain the swamp”, a phrase used by US President Donald Trump during his first run at politics in 2016.

Other country councils are also set to be decided this week, including the Shire of Derby West Kimberley up north.

The shire was thrown into disarray following a mass resignation of councillors earlier this year, leading the government to appoint a commissioner to oversee the council.

Former shire president Peter McCumstie is again putting his hand up for the shire president job.

In the Shire of Coolgardie, locals will also be watching the outcome of the election closely after WA’s local government minister Hannah Beazley decided just last week not to suspend the council over concerns regarding its debt.

Meanwhile in the embattled City of Nedlands, voters will have to wait to have their say after ongoing questions about the council’s leadership delayed the election until March next year.

Mayor Fiona Argyle was famously sacked from the job earlier this year, giving a bizarre radio interview where she said a mass exodus from her council that <a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/nedlands-council-wiped-out-as-state-takes-the-reins-20250708-p5mdgq.html" data-ffx-id="p5mdgq">led the state government to tip it into administration was a “good day”.</a>

Similar scenes are playing out in the Town of Port Hedland, who will also have to wait to go to the polls until March next year after the council was placed in the hands of commissioners following the resignation of former mayor Peter Carter.