The breakdown of preferences have been published on the Highland Council site, you have to download a spreadsheet (click on the preference summary on this page) but here's a snapshot put up on the Gurn Flickr pages if you prefer that.
What is remarkable is that Laurie came second behind Liz in numbers of votes. He was a good Nairnshire mile behind her with 621 first preference votes compared to her 1120 but it is still quite an achievement and mirrors the second place of Sandy in 2007.
Check out the second preferences that Colin received, 834. He eventually became Nairn's second SNP councillor as the stages of the count moved on. There's nothing you can take away from Liz however, and the total of second preferences (academic only at that stage) she received was 662. Liz is beyond doubt the people's choice and this observer feels there will be a riot this time round if she is not restored as Provost.
Ashley Broadbent could be forgiven for having a few drams tonight, he came fourth in the initial first preferences with 458 votes, behind third placed Michael Green on 483, but the vagaries of the STV system eventually rejected him.
Ritchie Cunningham came 7th in first preferences behind Oor Graham. Can we deduce from that that voters in Nairn are not very interested in candidates that want to centre their campaign on attacking the SNP? The Tory wifie came bottom of the list on first preferences.
Can Gurnites detect any other trends in these figures?
15 comments:
I wonder as to how many people fully understood this voting system and knew they could have just voted for one or two people. Michael Green is a good example of this in that his biggest vote was for 3rd choice, presumably after folk had voted for their favourites
Two westenders...one eastender ...and a southerner ?
Well well well so laurie made it then.I must be honest i was a little shocked !.But on the other hand so glad marsden is OUT !!!!.Bye bye Graham.
and a West Coaster Anon, that makes three westies?
Most significantly, 56.09% of the people didnt want ANY of them!
Liz on top...
Sweet dreams tonight
Laurie might not have enjoyed his followers voting on the Gurn poll, but as he was one of four elected I don't think you can refer to his supporters as a minority?
Lets hope Michael Green is able to live up to his first election promise as made on Face Book
" I told her to contact me on May 4th and we will go and see both the council housing department and Albyn, as she ticks all the boxes as the type of person who should get priority on any housing list. The council officials work for me and I work for her."
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-G-Green/238205256273130
Mike green will have to read his code of conduct very carefully before he makes remarks as above.
Council officials work for thier employer "Highland Council"
Mike Green is not the "employer" he is a representitive of his electorate on Council matters..
Still he is a bit Green yet...time might heal
Fishertoonloon
Does that mean the officials run the council and not the councillors?
If the councillors are not the gaffers who is?
Why bother having elections?
Graisg:
What it means is that the officials carry out the day - day operation of the services.
The Counciillors are the ruling administrators charged with the decision making and budget setting/spending.
That dont make them the "employers"
Thats why there is a code of conduct, Officials are council representitives, councillors are representitives of the electorate.
It's not a case of "I'm the gaffer do as I say" thats hardly a democratic method of running a council as you put it..!
Have a read of the code of conduct it puts who does what into perspective, whether its correct or not...well thats another topic.
Fishertoonloon
@ House Someone has already more or less made that point.
It will really be up to that individual member of the electorate to come to a decision about the service provided and not anonymous commentators speaking without full knowledge of the situation.
@ Fishertown Loon. I think our four councillors should have more say over the running of affairs in Nairn. They've been round the doors and they've heard what people have to say.
For instance decisions should be made in Nairn about who gets social housing in the town and not officials in Invernesss. Obviously it would be wrong in general terms for councillors to chose the individuals that get housing but they should be able to set their own quotas on how many homeless people from out of town are housed here etc.
I for one wish them all well. We have a fine coalition government in Westminster working for us at the moment, and I'm sure the marriage of the SNP and Ind will work well in Nairn - Snpind?
As for Michael, maybe living up to his name and being a little rash and green, but I'm sure like any new politician he just wants to don the political superman vest and sort out all the problems. I'm sure he will settle into his role and be a valuable member of the new team
How to vote
The recent Highland Council elections brought to mind a saying of my father’s “there no room for politics in the town hall” In his time at Nairn there was a conservative member of parliament representing MORAY & NAIRN. I don’t think things have changed since his day, we only have to look at any of the 32 local authorities within Scotland to realise that interference in the TOWN HALL from those centrally based politicians only brings chaos. Yes I here some of you say, they know the bigger picture as they should do, but tell them to stick to that big picture and provide the infrastructure that will allow the locally elected representatives who know the area, do their work to enhance the lives of their communities. Party politics is directly responsible for the infighting which is currently taking place in a lot of local authorities as people jostle for positions of power, their ego more important that their communities. There would have been a lot of surprised people when the results of the current elections were announced. The next chance to vote is some way off, but here is a tip, under the Single Transferable Vote if there are 7 candidates 4 of which are independent then try voting like this, grade each independent candidate from one to five, this will ensure that you maximise your vote for a local independent representative, someone who cares about local issues and is not continually looking over their shoulder to see what big boss wants.
Finlay Mackintosh
Forres
Morayshire
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