Record votes for Dardanup

Four new faces have been elected to Dardanup Shire Council in a close finish on Saturday.

Danny Harris, James Lee and Peter Robinson will each take up four-year terms while Luke Davies will take up the two-year position left vacant by councillor Keith Hopper, who died earlier this year.

Shire president Brad Day and deputy shire president John Gardiner were the only councillors to put their hand up and be re-elected, each to serve four-year terms.

A new shire president and deputy shire president will be voted in on October 26 when the councillors are sworn in during a special meeting of council.

Annette Webster and former councillor Frank Papalia were the other two candidates who nominated, however, they were not elected.

Councillors Noeline Anderson and Cecil Mountford did not renominate and the terms of Crs Peter Bass, Michael Bennett, Carmel Boyce, and Betty Murfit do not expire until 2013.

Eight candidates competed for the six vacancies and less than 260 votes separated those elected.

The Dardanup shire recorded a voter participation rate of 32.16 per cent with 11,260 votes cast.

It is an improvement on the last election in 2009, when 30.63 per cent of voters participated in the non-compulsory voting election.

Awarded Young Citizen of the Year in 2009, Eaton resident Mr Davies is a member of the Junior Advisory Council.

Mr Lee serves on the board of Home and Community Care, the committee of the Seniors Recreation Council, and will be chairing the Anti- Cancer Council Relay for Life committee for the next three years.

Crooked Brook Forrest Association chairman and secretary of the local fire brigade, Mr Robinson is a soon-to-be-retired school teacher.

Retired dairy farmer Mr Harris previously served as a councillor from 1988 to 1995, deputy shire president from 1989 to 1992 and shire president from 1992 to 1995.