By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
SUCCESSFUL Silverleaf ward candidate Maria Sampey has thanked her late son’s ‘intervention’ for an against-the-odds win in Saturday’s election.
Ms Sampey, an incumbent, was preferenced last on most candidates’ how-to-vote cards including sitting councillors John Kelly and Yvonne Herring.
Ahead of the distribution of preferences at 3pm today, Ms Sampey seemed unlikely to find the 1000-plus preference votes required to reclaim her seat.
‘‘Everyone was against me but ultimately it is the people who decided who gets elected,’’ a euphoric Ms Sampey said.
‘‘They didn’t follow the [how-to-vote] cards so I want to thank all the residents who voted for me.’’
She said she could still work with her re-elected rivals Mr Kelly and Angela Long ‘‘who ran her husband [Barry] against me’’.
‘‘I just keep out of their way,’’ she said.
Ms Sampey said she prayed for help from her late son Paul, who died of a brain tumour in 1997.
‘‘I said everyone’s against me, I try to do good in the community. I need your support so help me if you want me to stay on council. And it’s worked out.
‘‘He who laughs last laughs best.’’
Mr Kelly, who was re-elected in the ward’s second vacancy, said he’d put Ms Sampey last on his how-to-vote card as ‘‘part of the political game’’.
He lost 2000 primary votes, effectively halving his vote; whereas Ms Sampey largely retained her number-one votes.
Mr Kelly attributed the drop to his seat’s changing demographics and stiffer competition from candidates such as ALP members Nhan Huynh and Barry Long, Zaynoun Melhem and Thelma Wakelam.
‘‘More people were taking it seriously this time,’’ Mr Kelly said.
As an ex-Liberal state candidate, Mr Kelly was expecting a tough term as councillor.
‘‘It’s certainly a Labor-dominated council. And [ex-ALP member] Maria Sampey tends to vote that way as well.’’
Ironically, it was the preferences of Labor’s Huynh and Long that helped him over the line.
Ms Herring, who switched from Lightwood ward, has lost her seat. She polled second-last on primaries.
