THE countdown is on for the Brisbane City Council elections and a total of 10 candidates have thrown their hats in the ring across Deagon, Bracken Ridge and Marchant wards.
    Northern suburbs residents are obligated to cast their votes for the second time this year on Saturday, April 28, following the closure of local government nominations on Tuesday, March 27.
    Four candidates have nominated themselves to serve Deagon ward, including current ALP incumbent Cr Victoria Newton, LNP candidate Gordana Blazevic, The Greens candidate Georgia Farrell and returning independent candidate John Harbison.
    During the 2008 Brisbane City Council elections for Deagon ward, Cr Newton claimed victory after she received 11,305 votes or 51 percent, over her nearest rival LNP candidate Tony Feagan, who gained 8315 votes from a total voting pool of 25,461 (now grown to 25,609 voters).
    The Greens candidate Peter Fagan received 1657 votes in the 2008 elections and the remainder went to independent candidates John Harbison (368) and Jennifer Singfield (238).
    Bracken Ridge ward has received three nominations for this election, including LNP incumbent Cr Amanda Cooper, ALP candidate Carla Pinda and The Greens candidate Keith Skelton.
    Cr Cooper was successful in claiming the Bracken Ridge ward seat with a majority vote of 13,322 or 59 percent, while her nearest rival the ALP’s Sean Waugh received 7332, from a voting pool of 25,856 (now grown to 26,612 voters).
    Marchant ward has also received three candidates including LNP incumbent Fiona King, ALP candidate Blair Thompson and The Greens candidate Neil Martin.
    Cr King was appointed the role of Marchant ward councillor following the 2008 elections, after she received 12,503 votes or 54 percent over her nearest rival ALP candidate Faith Hopkins, who received 8639 and The Greens candidate received 1964, from a voting pool of 27,072 (now grown to 27,285 voters).
    Speculation has been raised by several community members, that the forthcoming council elections could reflect the LNP’s landslide victory at the state polls. However several councillors and candidates from both ALP and LNP said ‘historically council elections were not based on preferred parties over local candidates’.