NSW council left without a mayor after names ‘drawn out of a hat’ in election tie-break bungle

Clarence Valley councillor Peter Johnstone, who was incorrectly elected mayor in an election tie-break bungle. Photograph: Peter Johnstone/Facebook

A local council in northern New South Wales is without a mayor after a bungled election tie-break meant a candidate whose name was drawn “out of a hat” was wrongly told he had lost.

Clarence Valley councillors Peter Johnstone and Ray Smith were tied on votes for mayor after a ballot of other councillors this week.