Due to the preferential permutations of our voting system, it will take until the end of the week for the numbers to be crunched. Candidates who get less than a quota, that is, 10% of all formal votes (715 this time), have to wait while thinking, “Oh well, I don’t really mind … yes I do … no I don’t etc…”

The other people to thank in the election process are the workers on the day. For all groups and candidates there are the helpers who do their best to make voting an educated choice. For this they suffer: from the brusque brush off, “I’m right thanks”; to the downright rude, “None of yers are worth feeding”.

My dedicated team did wonders; from the burghers of Bungendore to the wilds of Wamboin. They returned wind swept and sunburned and all for a handful of extra votes. But it might just be those few votes that get me over the line.

To the workers who do their best for our democratic way of choosing representatives, on behalf of all the candidates, thankyou.

My prediction about representation in the east did come to pass. It’s either me or no-one who lives locally.

I hope it’s me and if it is I’ll work towards re-establishing a group that will promote the interests of Braidwood and surrounding areas. Regardless of what happens to the structure of local government with amalgamations or whatever, we need to have people ready to be elected who have our community’s best interests at heart.