Twenty-one people will contest the Clarence Valley Council election on Saturday September 10. All of the current councillors, apart from Craig Howe, have renominated. The majority of nominees declared as independent candidates with no political affiliation, however, Greg Clancy has declared and will run as a member of The Greens. Richie Williamson declared as a member of the Nationals, but will run with no designated political affiliation. Jason Kingsley declared as a member of the Labor Party, but will run as an independent, as has Peter Ellem. Joy de Roos and Keith Bates did not declare any political membership on their nomination forms and will run with no designated political affiliation. Andrew Baker declared he was a property developer and a close associate of a corporation that is a property developer; he will run as an independent. There are 39,107 electors registered to vote in the Clarence Valley LGA. Each councillor is elected through a proportional voting system, which counts formal votes. “To be elected a candidate generally must gain a quota of the formal votes,” the Electoral Commission of NSW’s website states. “The quota cannot be worked out until the total number of formal first preference votes is known. “Once the first preference count has taken place and informal ballot papers are removed the quota is calculated”: A quota equals the total number of formal votes, divided by one more than the number of vacancies (10 in the case of the Clarence Valley), plus one. For example, if there are 36,000 formal votes and nine vacancies to be filled, the quota is 36,000 formal votes divided by 10 (plus one), which means a candidate needs 3,601 votes to be elected. “The count is conducted by distributing votes according to the choices shown on the ballot paper,” the Electoral Commission of NSW’s website states. “When candidates reach a quota and are elected, their surplus or extra votes above the quota are distributed to the remaining candidates. “Candidates with the lowest number of votes are then excluded and their ballot papers are redistributed according to the next choice shown. “This process continues until all the vacancies are filled. “Candidates can also be elected if the remaining number of candidates in the count equals the number of vacant positions still to be filled.” Pre poll voting at the Grafton council chambers and the Maclean civic hall commence on August 29. People can register for postal votes online – they must be returned by September 12 at 6pm to the returning officer at the Grafton council chambers –2 Prince Street. Voters can number their candidates in order of preference from one to five, which is the minimum number of boxes that must be filled; however, electors can number up to 21 boxes in order of preference if they so choose. The order of candidates as they will appear on the ballot paper 1. Debrah Novak (Yamba) 2. Ian Saunders (Maclean) 3. Greg Clancy (Coutts Crossing) 4. Peta Rogers (The Whiteman) 5. Brett Tibbett (Lanitza) 6. Karen Toms (Yamba) 7. Ursula Tunks (South Grafton) 8. Jason Kingsley (Great Marlow) 9. John Hagger (Waterview Heights) 10. Peter Ellem (Wooloweyah) 11. Richie Williamson (Coutts Crossing) 12. Marty Wells (Grafton) 13. Trevor Ellem (Grafton) 14. Joy de Roos (Illarwil) 15. Keith Bates (Grafton) 16. Sue Hughes (Yamba) 17. Jim Simmons (Maclean) 18. John Riggall (Maclean) 19. Arthur Lysaught (Grafton) 20. Margaret McKenna (South Grafton) 21. Andrew Baker (Harwood)