2024 Byron Shire Council election
14 September 2024
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All 9 seats on Byron Shire Council 5 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered | 27,485[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mayor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 71.4% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2024 Byron Shire Council election was held on 14 September 2024 to elect eight councillors and the mayor of Byron Shire. The election was held as part of the statewide local government elections in New South Wales, Australia.[2]
Incumbent mayor Michael Lyon sought re-election to a second term but was defeated, placing 4th by first preference votes. He retained his council seat, which he has held since 2016.[3]
Background
Three weeks before the election, incumbent mayor Michael Lyon was charged with assault and stalking after an alleged domestic violence incident.[4] Lyon secured an interim suppression order to stop the media reporting on the case on August 19, on the basis that publicity could harm the alleged victim, but he failed to secure a permanent suppression order in Tweed Heads Local Court in late August after objections from the Sydney Morning Herald and other media outlets.[5]
Following the charges, Mark Swivel and Meredith Wray withdrew as candidates for Lyon's "Byron Independents" group.[6] Swivel joined the Labor Party, while Wray joined the "Bright Future Byron" group.[7][5]
Electoral system
Like in all other New South Wales local government areas, Byron Shire Council elections use optional preferential voting. Under this system, voters are only required to vote for one candidate or group, although they can choose to preference other candidates.[8]
All elections for councillor positions are elected using proportional representation.[9] Sydney is an undivided council and uses an Australian Senate-style ballot paper with above-the-line and below-the-line voting.[10]
Voting is compulsory for anyone on the New South Wales state electoral roll.[11]
Candidates
Mayoral candidates
Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on the ballot.
| Party | Candidate | Background | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Shire Compass | David Warth | Filmmaker | |
| Greens | Sarah Ndiaye | Byron deputy mayor since 2022 | |
| Labor | Asren Pugh | Byron councillor since 2021 | |
| Byron Independents | Michael Lyon | Byron mayor since 2021 | |
Councillor candidates
| Labor (Group A) |
Byron Shire Compass (Group B) |
Byron Independents (Group C) |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
| Greens (Group D) |
Bright Future Byron (Group D) |
Ungrouped |
|
|
|
Results
Mayoral results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greens | Sarah Ndiaye | 6,522 | 34.7 | +20.0 | |
| Labor | Asren Pugh | 5,666 | 30.1 | +18.5 | |
| Byron Shire Compass | David Warth | 3,481 | 18.5 | +18.5 | |
| Byron Independents | Michael Lyon | 3,128 | 16.6 | −7.1 | |
| Total formal votes | 18,797 | 95.7 | |||
| Informal votes | 839 | 4.3 | |||
| Turnout | 19,636 | 71.4 | |||
| Two-candidate-preferred result | |||||
| Greens | Sarah Ndiaye | 7,582 | 51.8 | +51.8 | |
| Labor | Asren Pugh | 7,051 | 48.2 | +48.2 | |
| Greens gain from Byron Independents | |||||
Councillor results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greens | 1. Sarah Ndiaye 2. Elia Hauge (elected 1) 3. Delta Kay (elected 5) 4. Michelle Lowe (elected 7) 5. Nell Schofield |
6,772 | 36.7 | +15.2 | |
| Labor | 1. Asren Pugh (elected 2) 2. Janet Swain (elected 6) 3. Mark Swivel 4. Peter Doherty 5. Diana James 6. Linda Watson |
5,001 | 27.1 | +13.7 | |
| Byron Shire Compass | 1. David Warth (elected 3) 2. Susie Figgis 3. Nyck Jeanes 4. Trisha Gizas-Barker |
2,503 | 13.6 | +13.6 | |
| Byron Independents | 1. Michael Lyon (elected 4) 2. Max Foggon 3. Rhett Holt 4. Jeannette Martin |
2,161 | 11.7 | −8.8 | |
| Bright Future Byron | 1. Jack Dods (elected 8) 2. David Michie 3. Meredith Wray 4. Niamh Dove |
1,765 | 9.6 | +9.6 | |
| Independent | Lucy Vader | 240 | 1.3 | +1.3 | |
| Total formal votes | 18,442 | 94.0 | |||
| Informal votes | 1,181 | 6.0 | |||
| Turnout | 19,623 | 71.4 | |||
References
- ^ "Report on the administration of the 2024 NSW Local Government elections (Part 2)" (PDF). New South Wales Electoral Commission. 14 March 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2025. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
- ^ "Council Elections".
- ^ "Former Byron mayor retains council seat despite facing domestic assault charges". ABC News. 1 October 2024.
- ^ Naylor, Catherine (8 August 2024). "Byron mayor charged with assault after alleged domestic incident". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ a b Naylor, Catherine (30 August 2024). "Trouble in paradise: The 24 hours that left Byron mayor's election campaign in disarray". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Byron Independents candidates withdraw after mayor charged with assault and stalking". Local Elections Australia. 6 News Australia. 8 August 2024. Archived from the original on 25 August 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Swivel turns to Labor in Byron electoral battle with The Greens". The Echo. 12 August 2024. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "How votes are counted in a local government election". New South Wales Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "The many party systems of NSW councils". The Tally Room. 29 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "NSW Local Government Elections Website". Antony Green's Election Blog. 22 November 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ Christie, Chloe (13 September 2024). "NSW, it's compulsory to vote this weekend". The Daily Aus. Archived from the original on 14 September 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
- ^ "Byron - First Preference Votes for each Candidate - Check Count Complete". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 14 September 2024. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Byron - Distribution of Preferences". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 14 September 2024. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Byron - First Preference Group and Candidate Votes by Aggregated Vote Type". New South Wales Electoral Commission. 14 September 2024. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "Sarah Ndiaye". Greens on Council. Archived from the original on 18 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Byron Shire Compass Team". byronshirecompassteam.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Byron Independents". byronindependents.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "BRIGHT FUTURE BYRON 2024". brightfuturebyron.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
- ^ "Here's our how to vote guide". Facebook. Bright Future Byron - Independents for Byron Shire. 6 September 2024. Archived from the original on 23 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.