Voting enters final week

About fifty five percent of Tasmanians have returned their council election ballot papers with days left to cast votes. Ballots must be handed in to a council centre by two pm on Tuesday.

Fifty fewer councillor seats

The number of councillors statewide is being cut by fifty, from two hundred sixty three to two hundred thirteen. The five largest councils drop from twelve seats to nine, while all others now have seven.

Multiple mayors stepping aside

Several high-profile mayors are not seeking re-election, including Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds, who has accepted a role at the Global Solar Council. Eight other councils also have incumbent mayors stepping down.

Parking tops Hobart voter priorities

Hobart resident Winnie Nguyen said the most important factor influencing her vote was the number of parking spaces across the city's CBD, where she works and studies.

“Trying to find a car park is such a frustration every single day, so if that can be improved, then I think that will benefit a lot of people.”

Launceston shopfronts and cycling

Mick Statham, who lives in Launceston, said his biggest concerns were cycling infrastructure and getting the local council to breathe new life into the city. There are so many empty shops around.

“There are so many empty shops around and it just seems to be dying a bit.”

Cricket club faces fee spike

Clarence District Cricket Club president Paul Gregg said the club was told their annual fee to use the oval at Kangaroo Bay could increase from seventy three thousand dollars to one hundred thirty six thousand…

Sporting clubs seek council support

Paul Gregg said the potential increase could make the sporting club unviable and was one of the reasons why the council's relationship with local sporting clubs was the single biggest priority this election.

“We need some immediate action and that's around the financial pressures for sure … and then a plan and some investment for sporting infrastructure on the eastern shore.”

Kingborough rezoning concerns

Blackmans Bay local Phil Douglas said the key issue for him was for candidates to address a recent push by the Kingborough Council to rezone more than one thousand five hundred properties into landscape conservation.

“It basically means that the government controls everything that we can do on our property, whether it's cutting down a tree, whether it's building an outbuilding.”

Accessibility and footpath repairs

Sandy Bay resident Felicity Williams would like to see more attention given to improving the condition of footpaths and kerb ramps across Hobart. Using a pram has made her notice accessibility issues.

“They're the kind of things that I've found a little challenging when navigating with the pram, and it's really made me think about people with accessibility issues.”

New mayors face learning curve

George Town mayor Greg Kieser, who is stepping aside, said there could be minimal disruption during a mayoral swap if the new leader has enough experience.

“For them, a step into the mayoral role is going to be quite frictional and quite challenging, not to say it's impossible.”

Mayors hold relationship equity

Cr Kieser rejected the idea that mayors were simply figureheads, saying they held relationship equity with state and federal stakeholders and their communities. The general manager and staff run day-to-day operations.

Fewer seats attract committed candidates

Mick Tucker, president of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, said the sector had embraced the change and expected it to result in more committed councillors across the board.

“You'll find that you'll have more dedicated, determined councillors standing because they really have belief in their community.”

Penalties for non-voting apply

Electoral commissioner Andrew Hawkey warned that penalties of up to forty one dollars would apply to those who fail to return ballots by the deadline. The full failure-to-vote process will apply this time.