# 2012 New South Wales mayoral elections

The 2012 New South Wales mayoral elections were held on 8 September 2012 to elect mayors or lord mayors to 36 of the 152 local government areas (LGAs) in New South Wales. The elections were held as part of the statewide local elections.
These were the last mayoral elections for Botany Bay, Canterbury, Greater Taree, Manly, Queanbeyan, Snowy River and Warringah − all of which were LGAs abolished in the 2016 local government proclamations.

## Candidates
### Retiring mayors

* Greg Piper (Independent Lake Alliance) − Lake Macquarie, announced March 2012
* Genia McCaffery (Independent) − North Sydney, announced 12 June 2012
* John Tate (Independent) − Newcastle, announced 8 August 2012

## Results
### Bellingen

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Bellingen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mark Troy | 4,769 | 65.5 | +29.0 |
| | Independent | Wayne Wadsworth | 2,517 | 34.5 | +34.5 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 7,286 | 95.0 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 5.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.5 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +29.0 | |

### Botany Bay

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Botany Bay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Ben Keneally | 13,088 | 63.6 | −36.4 |
| | Independent | John Ryan | 3,259 | 15.8 | +15.8 |
| | Independent | Sherry Butt | 1,768 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| | Greens | Alan Hough | 1,699 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| | Independent | Charlie Trist | 749 | 3.6 | +3.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 20,563 | 94.9 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 5.1 | |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | −36.4 | |

### Eurobodalla

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Eurobodalla :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Graham Scobie | 2,266 | 10.6 | +2.5 |
| | Independent | Fergus Thomson | 2,209 | 10.3 | −10.7 |
| | Independent | Lindsay Brown | 2,017 | 9.4 | −2.8 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Noel (Tubby) Harrison | 1,638 | 7.6 | +7.6 |
| | Eurobodalla First | Rob Pollock | 1,636 | 7.6 | −10.6 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Liz Innes | 1,481 | 6.9 | +6.9 |
| | Greens | Gabi Harding | 1,372 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| | Independent | Phil Constable | 1,364 | 6.4 | +6.4 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Ron Gifford | 1,033 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Independent | Chris Vardon | 885 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Michele Cameron | 805 | 3.8 | +3.8 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Neil Burnside | 707 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| | Independent | Alan Morton | 671 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Milton Leslight | 621 | 2.9 | +2.9 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Peter Schwarz | 603 | 2.8 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | Allan Brown | 512 | 2.4 | −7.4 |
| | Independent | Orit Karny Winters | 497 | 2.3 | +2.3 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Gary Smith | 442 | 2.1 | −2.9 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | April Creed | 338 | 1.6 | +1.6 |
| | Independent | Chris Kowal | 211 | 1.0 | −5.6 |
| | Independent | Glenda Bishop | 156 | 0.7 | +0.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 21,464 | 94.2 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,325 | 5.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,789 | 82.4 | |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Lindsay Brown | 3,845 | 50.7 | +50.7 |
| | Eurobodalla Ratepayers | Liz Innes | 3,737 | 49.3 | +49.3 |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |

### Fairfield

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Fairfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Frank Carbone | 44,641 | 45.4 | −15.0 |
| | Independent | Nhan Tran | 15,833 | 16.1 | +16.1 |
| | Independent Liberal | Zaya Toma | 8,773 | 8.9 | −24.6 |
| | Greens | Bill Cashman | 8,371 | 8.5 | +8.5 |
| | Independent | Sam Yousif | 7,918 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| | Christian Democrats | Juliat Nasr | 7,237 | 7.4 | +7.4 |
| | Unity | Ken Yeung | 5,647 | 5.7 | +5.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 98,450 | 90.8 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 9.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 85.4 | |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Frank Carbone | 49,041 | 71.3 | +10.9 |
| | Independent | Nhan Tran | 19,727 | 28.7 | +28.7 |
| | Labor hold | Labor hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Lake Macquarie

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Lake Macquarie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labor | Jodie Harrison | 37,202 | 32.8 | +6.6 |
| | Independent Lake Alliance | Wendy Harrison | 28,944 | 25.6 | −35.6 |
| | Liberal | Ken Paxinos | 25,367 | 22.4 | +22.4 |
| | Independent | Jim Sullivan | 9,831 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| | Greens | Phillipa Parsons | 8,503 | 7.5 | −5.1 |
| | Independent | Arjay Martin | 3,424 | 3.0 | +3.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 113,276 | 93.8 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 6.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 84.2 | |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Labor | Jodie Harrison | 43,956 | 52.2 | |
| | Independent Lake Alliance | Wendy Harrison | 40,296 | 47.8 | |
| | Labor gain from Independent Lake Alliance | Labor gain from Independent Lake Alliance | Swing | | |

### Nambucca

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Nambucca :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Rhonda Hoban | 7,546 | 69.8 |
| | Independent | John Ainsworth | 3,266 | 30.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 10,812 | 96.0 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 80.5 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Newcastle

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Newcastle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jeff McCloy | 36,663 | 43.1 | +43.1 |
| | Labor | Nuatali Nelmes | 24,128 | 28.4 | +10.5 |
| | Greens | John Sutton | 10,021 | 11.8 | −2.2 |
| | Independent | Aaron Buman | 6,226 | 7.3 | −10.9 |
| | Independent | Jacqueline Haines | 4,186 | 4.9 | +4.9 |
| | Independent | Bryan Havenhand | 2,298 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
| | Independent | Col Peebles | 1,497 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 85,019 | 94.7 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 5.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 82.5 | |
| Three-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Jeff McCloy | 38,321 | 51.0 | +51.0 |
| | Labor | Nuatali Nelmes | 26,009 | 34.6 | |
| | Greens | John Sutton | 10,883 | 14.5 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |

### North Sydney

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: North Sydney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Jilly Gibson | 11,893 | 40.5 |
| | Independent | Zoë Baker | 9,731 | 33.1 |
| | Independent | Suzanne Clarke-Nash | 7,745 | 26.4 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 29,369 | 93.5 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 2,040 | 6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 31,409 | 74.1 |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | Jilly Gibson | 14,559 | 56.8 |
| | Independent | Zoë Baker | 11,062 | 43.2 |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | N/A |

### Queanbeyan

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Queanbeyan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tim Overall Team | Tim Overall | 10,380 | 54.2 | +9.5 |
| | Labor | Brian Brown | 3,009 | 15.7 | +15.7 |
| | Independent | Jamie Cregan | 2,709 | 14.1 | +14.1 |
| | Independent | Sue Whelan | 1,546 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| | Independent | Ann Rocca | 1,515 | 7.9 | −8.1 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 19,159 | 95.1 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 76.3 | |
| | Tim Overall Team hold | Tim Overall Team hold | Swing | +9.5 | |

### Snowy River

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Snowy River :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Cahill | 1,470 | 42.3 | +42.3 |
| | Independent | Peter Beer | 1,069 | 30.7 | +30.7 |
| | Independent | John Shumack | 939 | 27.0 | +27.0 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 3,478 | 95.8 | N/A |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 77.7 | N/A |
| Two-candidate-preferred result ||||||
| | Independent | John Cahill | 1,606 | 56.5 | +56.5 |
| | Independent | Peter Beer | 1,236 | 43.5 | +43.5 |
| | Independent win | Independent win | Swing | N/A | |
* This was the first time the position of mayor of Snowy River was directly-elected

### Sydney

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Sydney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Team Clover | Clover Moore | 34,903 | 51.1 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal | Edward Mandla | 11,031 | 16.1 | +2.1 |
| | Labor | Linda Scott | 7,124 | 10.4 | −4.6 |
| | Living Sydney Team | Angela Vithoulkas | 6,722 | 9.8 | +9.8 |
| | Greens | Irene Doutney | 4,462 | 6.5 | −6.9 |
| | Sex Party | Zahra Stardust | 2,241 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| | Independent | Dixie Coulton | 1,303 | 1.9 | +1.9 |
| | Housing Action Team | Denis Doherty | 557 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 68,343 | 97.4 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | 2.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 69.2 | |
| | Team Clover hold | Team Clover hold | Swing | −5.4 | |

### Warringah

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Warringah :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Your Warringah | Michael Regan | 41,161 | 56.3 | +36.7 |
| | Independent Liberal | Pat Daley | 12,935 | 17.7 | +17.7 |
| | Independent | Vincent De Luca | 9,756 | 13.4 | +6.4 |
| | Greens | Conny Harris | 9,222 | 12.6 | −1.6 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 32,800 | 94.4 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,959 | 5.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,759 | | |
| | Your Warringah hold | Your Warringah hold | Swing | +36.7 | |

### Willoughby

2012 New South Wales mayoral elections: Willoughby :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Pat Reilly | 17,470 | 53.3 |
| | Independent Liberal | Stuart Coppock | 15,330 | 46.7 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 32,800 | 94.4 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 1,959 | 5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,759 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |