2021 Northern Territory local elections

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.[1][2]

2021 Northern Territory local elections

← 2017 28 August 2021 2025 →
Registered139,105
Turnout57.49%

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.[3]

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.[4][5]

Party changes before elections

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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

Results

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Mayoral elections

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Mayors in italics did not recontest their positions.

Council Before Result after preference distribution
Mayor Party Party Candidate % Result
Alice Springs Damien Ryan Country Liberal Independent Matt Paterson 50.01 Independent gain
Independent Jimmy Cocking 49.99
Barkly Steve Edgington Country Liberal Independent Jeffrey McLaughlin 65.29 Independent gain
Independent Hal Ruger 34.71
Darwin Kon Vatskalis Labor Labor Kon Vatskalis 57.23 Labor hold
Independent Amye Un[a] 12.69
Katherine Fay Miller Country Liberal Independent Lis Clark 53.89 Independent gain
Independent Kevin South 46.11
Litchfield Maree Bredhauer Independent Independent Doug Barden 54.68 Independent gain
Independent Maree Bredhauer 45.32
Palmerston Athina Pascoe-Bell Independent Independent Athina Pascoe-Bell 73.99 Independent hold
Independent Ryan Pettifer[a] 15.61

Council totals

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Council Seats
Independents Labor Country Liberal Greens
Alice Springs 7 Did not contest 1 0
Barkly 10 Did not contest Did not contest 1
Belyuen 5 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Central Desert 4 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Coomalie 4 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Darwin 8 2 1 1
East Arnhem 6 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Katherine 6 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Litchfield 6 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
MacDonnell 6 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Palmerston 7 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Roper Gulf 11 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Tiwi Islands 11 Did not contest 1 Did not contest
Victoria Daly 2 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
Wagait 5 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
West Arnhem 12 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest
West Daly 5 Did not contest Did not contest Did not contest

Aftermath

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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.[6] Unsuccessful candidate Jimmy Cocking requested a new recount, but it was rejected by the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal in October 2021.[7]

By-elections

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Council Ward Before Change Result after preference distribution
Councillor Party Cause Date Date Party Candidate %
Coomalie Batchelor Township 20 November 2021   Independent Richard Luxton 60.00
  Independent Bill Baldwin[b] 26.15
Central Desert Akityarre 10 February 2022   Independent Rosslyn Campbell N/A
  Elected unopposed
West Daly Nganmarriyanga 10 February 2022   Independent Terry Sams N/A
  Elected unopposed
East Arnhem Gumurr Gattjirrk 17 February 2022   Independent Joe Djakala N/A
  Elected unopposed
East Arnhem Gumurr Miyarkka 17 February 2022   Independent Wesley Bandi Bandi Wunungmurra N/A
  Elected unopposed
Roper Gulf Numbulwar Numburindi 17 February 2022   Independent Kathy-Anne Numamurdirdi N/A
  Elected unopposed
East Arnhem Gumurr Miwatj 7 July 2022   Independent Marrpalawuy Marika[c] 61.74
  Independent Wesley Dhamarrandji[c] 18.79
East Arnhem Anindilyakwa 22 July 2022   Independent Lionel Jaragba N/A
  Elected unopposed
East Arnhem Gumurr Miyarkka 22 July 2022   Independent Bobby Wunungmurra N/A
  Elected unopposed
Darwin Waters Justine Glover Independent Resignation 3 May 2022 7 July 2022   Independent Kim Farrar 51.20
  Country Liberal Gary Haslett[b] 24.45
Central Desert Anmatjere 4 November 2022 No nominations received
Alice Springs Unsubdivided Jimmy Cocking Independent Resignation 2022 29 October 2022   Independent Gavin Morris 56.77
  Country Liberal Sean Heenan 43.23
West Arnhem Gunbalanya 18 March 2023   Independent Gabby Gumurdul 70.80
  Independent Owen Naborlhborlh 29.20
Barkly Alyawarr 6 April 2023   Independent Lucy Jackson N/A
  Independent Mark Peterson N/A
  Elected unopposed (two vacancies)
East Arnhem Gumurr Miwatj 5 May 2023   Independent Marrpalawuy Marika 76.90
  Independent Ineke Wallis 23.10
Barkly Patta 6 May 2023   Independent Elliot McAdam[c] 33.83
  Independent Sharon Lake[c] 25.30
MacDonnell Rodinga 19 May 2023   Independent Andrew Davis N/A
  Independent Aloyiscois Hayes N/A
  Elected unopposed (two vacancies)
Central Desert Anmatjere N/A N/A No nominations received 4 November 2022 16 June 2023   Independent David McCormack N/A
  Elected unopposed
Central Desert Southern Tanami 16 June 2023   Independent Warren Williams N/A
  Elected unopposed
MacDonnell Luritja Pintubi 16 June 2023   Independent Tommy Jabanardi Conway 58.90
  Independent Amos Egan 41.10
Belyuen Unsubdivided 13 July 2023 No nominations received
Katherine Unsubdivided 15 July 2023   Independent Kerrie Mott[c] 27.39
  Independent Peter McDougall[c] 27.28
Victoria Daly Timber Creek 27 July 2023   Independent Deborah Jones N/A
  Elected unopposed
Tiwi Islands Bathurst Island Peter Kantilla Independent Resignation forced after not attending council meetings 22 February 2023 3 August 2023   Independent John Ross Pilakui N/A
  Elected unopposed
Roper Gulf Never Never 1 September 2023 No nominations received
Darwin Lyons Paul Arnold Independent Resignation 3 May 2023 2 September 2023   Independent Sam Weston 53.03
  Greens Suki Dorras-Walker 46.97
West Arnhem Kakadu 9 September 2023   Independent Mickitja Onus 61.00
  Independent Charlotte Meneer 39.00
Tiwi Islands Bathurst Island 28 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

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Second-placed on primary vote as the election did not require preference distribution.
  2. ^ a b Second-placed on primary vote as the by-election did not require preference distribution.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Two vacancies on council, meaning two candidates were elected - this shows their primary vote before preference distribution.

References

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  1. ^ "Results". Northern Territory Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Today is the NT local government election day. Here's everything you need to know to have your say". ABC News.
  3. ^ "303 nominate for 2021 Local Government Elections". Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
  4. ^ "Record number of electors on roll for 2021 Local Government Elections". Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
  5. ^ "25,000 Territorians have early voted". Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
  6. ^ "Two votes decide Alice Springs mayoral race". ABC News.
  7. ^ "NTCAT rejects Jimmy Cocking's bid for new recount of Alice Springs mayoral vote". ABC News.