Ross Kerridge has been confirmed as the winner of the Newcastle lord mayoral vote after preference distribution despite strong Greens preferences for Labor's Nuatali Nelmes.
Preferences were distributed for the September 14 election on the morning of September 30, with independent Ross Kerridge claiming 51.68 per cent of the two-party preferred vote to 48.32 per cent for Labor's Nuatali Nelmes.
The final gap between the pair was 2743 votes.
While Cr Kerridge claimed more preferences from Steve O'Brien (Socialist Alliance), Milton Caine (independent) and Callum Pull (Liberal) than Cr Nelmes, Greens voters were more likely to preference Labor.
Greens candidate Charlotte McCabe finished third in the lord mayoral race. When Cr McCabe was excluded, 3014 preference votes went to Cr Kerridge while 5441 were distributed to Cr Nelmes.
But it wasn't enough to bridge the gap of 5170 votes after preferences were distributed from the other three candidates.
The Greens did not encourage any preferences for lord mayor, but asked voters to preference Labor ahead of Cr Kerridge's independents in the wards.
Mayoral races were also finalised in other local government areas.
Labor's Adam Schultz was declared the winner in the race for Lake Macquarie mayor with 60.16 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of independent Kate Warner.
Independent Philip Penfold was re-elected in Maitland with 62.9 per cent vote over Labor's Ben Whiting, while another independent Daniel Watton defeated Labor incumbent Jay Suvaal in Cessnock with 53.71 per cent.
Labor's Leah Anderson won the Port Stephens mayoralty with 59.87 per cent of the two-party preferred vote ahead of independent Paul Le Mottee.
Singleton independent mayor Sue Moore was re-elected with 54.45 per cent over fellow independent Danny Thompson.
Digby Rayward was declared as Dungog's mayor with 53.32 per cent of the two-party preferred vote against Michael Dowling.
Preferences will be distributed for councillor positions on October 1.
