2024 Townsville City Council election explained

Country:

Queensland

Ongoing:

Previous Election:

2020 Townsville City Council election

Previous Year:

2020

Next Election:

2028 Townsville City Council election

Next Year:

2028

Election Date:

16 March 2024

Turnout:

74.27% (4.94)

Module:

Election Name:

Mayor

Embed:

yes

Type:

parliamentary

Ongoing:

Image1:

IND

Candidate1:

Troy Thompson

Party1:

Independent politician

Popular Vote1:

50,167

Percentage1:

46.60%

Swing1:

46.60

Party2:

Team Jenny Hill

Colour2:

F6CB47

Popular Vote2:

47,415

Percentage2:

43.86%

Swing2:

6.78

Image3:

IND

Candidate3:

Harry Patel

Party3:

Independent politician

Popular Vote3:

10,529

Percentage3:

9.74%

Swing3:

9.74

1Blank:

TCP

2Blank:

TCP swing

1Data1:

52.62%

2Data1:

52.62

1Data2:

47.38%

2Data2:

14.15

Mayor

Posttitle:

Subsequent Mayor

After Election:

Troy Thompson

After Party:

Independent politician

Module:

Embed:	yes
Ongoing:	no
Election Name:	Councillors
Seats For Election:	All 11 members on the City Council (including the Mayor)
Majority Seats:	6
Party1:	Team Jenny Hill
Colour1:	F6CB47
Seats1:	4
Last Election1:	9
Party2:	Independent politician
Leader2:	N/A
Seats2:	3
Last Election2:	1
Party3:	TownsvilleCHANGE
Leader3:	Paul Jacob
Colour3:	61102D
Seats3:	2
Last Election3:	0
Leader4:	N/A
Colour4:	1C5CED
Seats4:	1
Last Election4:	0

The 2024 Townsville City Council election was held on 16 March 2024 to elect a mayor and 10 councillors to the City of Townsville. The election was held as part of the statewide local elections in Queensland, Australia.^[1]

Incumbent mayor Jenny Hill was defeated after 12 years in the position by independent candidate Troy Thompson. She officially conceded defeat on 27 March.^[2]

Candidates

Jenny Hill, who had been serving as mayor since the 2012 election, confirmed in 2023 she would seek re-election. In August 2023, Shari Fabbro and Ben Fusco were announced as Team Hill candidates for Division 2 and Division 10 respectively (the only wards not held by Team Hill).^[3] ^[4]

Troy Thompson contested the mayoralty as an independent candidate. He had been disendorsed as the One Nation candidate for Thuringowa at the 2020 Queensland state election because he did not disclose his legal name and directorship in a company that went insolvent.^[5]

Division 10 councillor Fran O'Callaghan withdrew from the mayoral election on 2 February 2024, citing health reasons, and did not recontest her seat.^[6]

Campaign

Thompson was supported by the local chapter of My Place Australia, a conspiracy theorist group with around 50 active Facebook groups in Queensland.^[7] ^[8]

Results

Councillors

Notes and References

Web site: 2024 local government elections . 22 March 2024 . Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Web site: Long-serving Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill formally concedes election defeat . ABC News . 27 March 2024.
Web site: Mayor Jenny Hill has revealed her team for next year's Townsville City Council election and she's closing in on the last independent seats . Facebook . 7NEWS Townsville.
Web site: 'Time to give it a crack': New council candidates announced for divisions 2, 10 . Townsville Bulletin.
News: Backed by 5G truthers, exiled from One Nation, banned from parliament – now Troy Thompson looks set to be Townsville's mayor . The Guardian. 25 March 2024 . Gillespie . Eden .
Web site: Jackson . Blair . Townsville elections: Fran O'Callaghan not running for mayor, cites health reasons . Townsville Bulletin . 2 February 2024.
Web site: Troy Thompson linked to right-wing conspiracy group My Place Townsville . Townsville Bulletin . 23 March 2024.
Web site: My Place groups worry about 5G and chemtrails. Some are also taking an interest in Queensland's council elections . Guardian Australia . 11 April 2024.