LABOR candidate Sel Sanli was the favourite to fill the empty seat on Maribyrnong City Council as final votes were tallied yesterday morning.
As Star went to press Mr Sanli, 28, had received 1467 of the 3710 primary votes polled during the Stony Creek Ward by-election on Saturday.
A final tally was expected later in the day, but with the West Footscray resident 950 votes clear of his nearest rival, Tony Le Nguyen, Mr Sanli looked certain to claim the ward.
Because no candidates managed to poll more than 50 per cent of the votes, second preference votes were needed to decide who would fill the Stony Creek Ward councillor position. If successful, Mr Sanli will be sworn in during a special council meeting tonight.
Mr Sanli said he door-knocked every house in the ward during his campaign to listen to the concerns of Braybrook, Tottenham and West Footscray residents.
“People were very happy that I was listening to them,” he said.
“From the response I was getting, I was the only one who was door knocking.”
In the lead-up to the election Mr Sanli said that if he was elected his priorities would be to establish a hoon hotline for residents to report dangerous drivers, fund a renewal project for local shopping strips, improve open space, continue to invest in new roads and footpaths, establish more child care and youth services and keep rates low.
The by-election was held to replace former Labor councillor Joesph Cutri, who resigned from the council in August.
When Star went to press Claudine Spinner had polled 85 votes, John Verduci had 120 votes, Minh Lam had 200 votes, Martin Zakharov had 447 votes, and Tony Le Nguyen had 517.
Michael Shergill had 135 votes, Nora Tchekmeyan had 270 votes, Vern Hughes had 120 votes and Martin Nguyen had 281 votes.
