Tony Jackson missed out on becoming a Barcoo Shire Council representative by one vote in the March 2020 general election but 12 months later he has won the by-election by one vote.
Highlighting the saying that every vote counts, Mr Jackson, the publican at the Stonehenge Hotel, had received 55 votes when the final postal votes were counted on Tuesday.
The officer-in-charge of the Jundah Police Station, Glen Arrold had 54 votes while the third candidate, Jundah publican Warren Hansen polled 35 votes.
At the 2020 local government elections, Mr Jackson received 83 votes while the fourth councillor elected, Andrew Miller tallied 84 votes.
Despite that close result, the Barcoo Shire Council decided to fill the vacancy via a by-election rather than appointing the runner-up, after first-term councillor Ingrid Miller resigned.
The by-election was a full postal vote and the closeness of the result following the closure of the poll on March 6 - Mr Jackson was ahead of Mr Arrold by two votes - meant that postal votes would play a crucial role in the final outcome.
Because the voting system for undivided councils is first-past-the-post, there isn't a further preference count.
A total of 146 ballots were received.
On Tuesday evening the poll was yet to be declared, and an Electoral Commission of Queensland spokeswoman said there could always be a call for a recount, as with any election.
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Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
