Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors have failed in their bid to elected a new mayor on Tuesday (2 June) after the vote was deadlocked, with Cr Paul Pingiaro to carry on as acting mayor until they reconvene to try again.
Councillors were required to convene a meeting to elect a new mayor of the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council after the resignation of the previous mayor, Anthony Marsh.
Two councillors nominated for the role of mayor; current acting mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro, and Cr Stephen Batty.
Put to a vote, both candidates for the position attracted five of the ten councillors’ votes.
The chair of the meeting, Mornington Peninsula Shire CEO Mark Stoermer then adjourned the meeting for 20 minutes so candidates could canvass support.
Returning to the chamber, the position of mayor was again put to the vote with the same deadlocked vote.
Stoermer then adjourned the meeting for a second time so councillor could discuss a way forward with the options being to hold another meeting as early as tomorrow, right through to postponing the vote for a new mayor to the annual election of the mayor in November.
Councillors returned to the chamber and Cr Max Patton moved that the mayoral vote be postponed until 6pm on 16 June when the councillors will again attempt to elect a new mayor. Cr David Gill seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous to meet again on 16 June.
