It's not too often you see Newcastle's political opponents share a laugh, but there were plenty of smiles and pleasantries at the ballot draw for the council election on Thursday.
Candidates from numerous parties and independent nominees watched NSW Electoral Commission staff pull names out of a box at the returning office in Wickham to decide the ballot order for the September 14 election.
Socialist Alliance candidate Steve O'Brien drew the top spot in the lord mayoral race, ahead of Independents Milton Caine and Ross Kerridge. Liberal candidate and councillor Callum Pull was next, followed by incumbent Labor lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Greens councillor and candidate Charlotte McCabe was the last name drawn.
Luck was better for the Greens in the ward ballots. The Greens were the first drawn in the first three wards and will be second on the ballot in ward four, while Mr Kerridge's team was the last pulled out of the box for ward one and two.
Labor pulled the number one spot in ward four.
Liberal mayoral candidate councillor Callum Pull attended the ballot draw with former councillor Brad Luke and Hunter-based Liberal Party state executive member Blake Keating amid the party's nomination mess.
In a statement about the situation, Cr Pull emphasised that Liberal councillors were still in the race.
"It is important for the people of Newcastle to know that we have successfully nominated Liberal candidates in wards one, two, four and for the mayoralty," he said.
NEWCASTLE BALLOT DRAW
Lord mayor
Stephen Mark O'BRIEN (Socialist Alliance)
Milton Clive CAINE (Independent)
Ross Kenneth KERRIDGE (Our Newcastle Independent)
Callum Eric PULL (Liberal)
Nuatali Josephine NELMES (Labor)
Charlotte MCCABE (Greens)
Ward one
Charlotte MCCABE (Greens)
Declan Philip CLAUSEN (Labor)
Stephen Mark O'BRIEN (Socialist Alliance)
Rochelle Lee Eugenie MANNING (Liberal)
Ross Kerridge (Our Newcastle Independent)
Ungrouped Independents
Grant Ronald OSLAND
Deborah MACKENZIE
Ward two
Joel Andrew PRINGLE (Greens)
Jennifer Anne BARRIE (Liberal)
Paige Christina JOHNSON (Labor)
Leisha Jane PARKINSON (Our Newcastle Independent)
Ward three
Sinead Evelyn FRANCIS-COAN (Greens)
Nuatali Josephine NELMES (Labor)
Mark William James BROOKER (Our Newcastle Independent)
Katrina WARK (Independent)
Ward four
Elizabeth Katie ADAMCZYK (Labor)
Rebecca Jane WATKINS (Greens)
Callum Eric PULL (Liberal)
Tahlia Ebony KELSO (Our Newcastle Independent)
Timothy Markos William BOYCE (Independent)
LAKE MACQUARIE BALLOT DRAW
Mayor
Bryce HAM (Greens)
Melody HARDING (Liberal)
Adam John Lindsay SHULTZ (Labor)
John Lee GILBERT (Our Local Community)
Rosmairi Christena DAWSON (Independent)
Katie Louise WARNER (Lake Mac Independents)
East ward
Adam John Lindsay SHULTZ (Labor)
Rowen TURNBULL (Independent)
Michael John HANNAH (Lake Mac Independents)
Jane Caroline OAKLEY (Greens)
Matthew Joseph James SCHULTZ (Liberal)
North ward
Colin Bruce GRIGG (Lake Mac Independents)
Bryce HAM (Greens)
Jack Thomas ANTCLIFF (Liberal)
Brian Alwyne ADAMTHWAITE (Labor)
Ungrouped Independents
MCCORKELL James
MCCORKELL Travis
SMITH Daniel
West ward
Katie Louise WARNER (Lake Mac Independents)
Toni Louise BOWYER (Our Local Community)
Ingrid SCHRANER (Greens)
Madeline Louise BISHOP (Labor)
Rosmairi Christena DAWSON (Independent)
Jason PAULING (Liberal)
Anthony Charles SWINSBURG (Independent)
Ungrouped Independent
MILTON Edward
MAITLAND BALLOT DRAW
Mayor
Campbell John KNOX (Greens)
Shahriar SAFFARI (Independent)
Philip Austin PENFOLD (Independent)
Benjamin John WHITING (Labor)
Ungrouped Independent
Matthew Tully LEONARD
Ward one
Kenneth Michael JORDAN (Penfold Independent)
Sally HALLIDAY (Liberal)
Amelia Louise ATKINSON (Labor)
Campbell John KNOX (Greens)
Ward two
Paul William JOHNS (Greens)
Mitchell Cameron GRIFFIN (Independent)
Rachel Anne BARSTOW (Labor)
Kristy-Lee FLANNERY (Penfold Independent)
Ward three
William Joseph HACKNEY (Penfold Independent)
Benjamin John WHITING (Labor)
Michael Scott JACOBS (Greens)
Ward four
Philip Austin PENFOLD (Penfold Independent)
Melanie Jane SHORTLAND (Independent)
Donald Jeffrey FERRIS (Labor)
Jessie Maria MCDONNELL (Greens)
CESSNOCK BALLOT DRAW
Mayor
Jay SUVAAL (Labor)
Daniel Phillip WATTON (Cessnock Independent)
Llynda Marion NAIRN (Greens)
Ward one
Jessica Emily JURD (Cessnock Independent)
Jay SUVAAL (Labor)
Llynda Marion NAIRN (Greens)
Ward two
Sarah Louise PASCOE (Independent)
Christopher Edward MADDEN (Labor)
Quintin KING (Cessnock Independent)
Ward three
Sophie Elizabeth PALMOWSKI (Labor)
Daniel Phillip WATTON (Cessnock Independent)
Nicholas Michael MAHER (Independent)
Ward four
Susanne DIXON (Cessnock Independent)
Victoria Ellen DAVIES (Animal Justice)
Mitchell Timothy HILL (Labor)
PORT STEPHENS BALLOT DRAW
Mayor
Leah Gaye ANDERSON (Labor)
Mark James WATSON (Independent)
Paul Clifford LE MOTTEE (Independent)
Central ward
Jason Robert WELLS (Labor)
Christopher Mark DOOHAN
Benjamin James NILAND
Scott LEECH
East ward
Leah Gaye ANDERSON (Labor)
Nathan James ERRINGTON (Liberal)
Kimberley Stewart SCOTT (Greens)
Mark James WATSON
West ward
Paul Clifford LE MOTTEE
Giacomo Tommaso ARNOTT (Labor)
Peter John KAFER
