2016 Townsville City Council election

The 2016 Townsville City Council election was held on 19 March 2016 to elect a mayor and 10 councillors to the City of Townsville. The election was held as part of the statewide local elections in Queensland, Australia.^[1]

2016 Townsville City Council election

← 2012 19 March 2016 2020 →

Mayor

First party Second party   JAT Candidate Jenny Hill Jayne Arlett Party Team Jenny Hill Jayne Arlett's Team Popular vote 58,862 34,849 Percentage 59.51% 35.23% Swing 25.77 35.23 2CP 62.69% 37.31% 2CP swing 11.11 37.31

Mayor before election Jenny Hill Team Jenny Hill Subsequent Mayor Jenny Hill Team Jenny Hill

Councillors

All 11 members on the City Council (including the Mayor) 6 seats needed for a majority

Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– Team Jenny Hill Jenny Hill 53.79 10 +8 Jayne Arlett's Team Jayne Arlett 38.81 0 0 Independent N/A 7.39 0 −1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Team Jenny Hill defeated Jayne Arlett's Team in a landslide victory, picking up every single ward, along with retaining the mayoralty.

At the previous election in 2012, councillor Team Jenny Hill narrowly won the mayoralty following the retirement of Les Tyrell. Seven Townsville First candidates were elected, while only two members of Hill's team won seats.

On 21 October 2015, businesswoman and Townsville Fire chairwoman Jayne Arlett announced she would run for mayor.^[2] In December 2015, she announced she would run a team of candidates in all wards, which included incumbent Townsville First councillors Ray Gartrell, Sue Blom, Gary Eddiehausen, Trevor Roberts and Tony Parsons.^[3]

Team Hill ran candidates in all wards, including their two incumbent councillors − Colleen Doyle (Division 9) and Les Walker (Division 10).

First-term independent councillor Pat Ernst announced in November 2015 that he would not seek re-election in Division 5.^[4]