Result could depend on postal votes
GLADSTONE region voters still doesn't know who their mayor will be.
By the end of counting yesterday, the numbers were still slightly in favour of incumbent mayor Gail Sellers, who holds a lead of 262 votes over Craig Butler.
Cr Sellers has 13,750 votes (50.48%) compared Craig Butler's 13,488 votes (49.52%).
Saturday's election turned out to be one of the closest ever seen and, with a slim possibility Cr Butler could regain the lead, neither candidate is willing to declare or concede a result.
All available votes have now been counted twice - once on Saturday night and again in check-counting.
All that remains is a handful of postal votes, not more than 700, which might arrive before the May 8 deadline.
Those numbers put Cr Sellers in a seemingly invincible position.
If all 700 of those postal votes come in, Cr Butler would have to win 481, and Cr Sellers 229, in order for the lead to change. Based on the numbers so far that is unlikely.
Meanwhile, the eight councillor candidates named as probable victors yesterday have all secured enough votes to put their victories beyond doubt.
