A BALL plucked from a box at random has seen Bayswater councillor Elli Petersen-Pik become Bayswater deputy mayor after an evenly split vote with Josh Eveson.
Cr Eveson is a strong supporter of mayor Filomena Piffaretti and almost always votes in-step, while Cr Petersen-Pik has tussled with the mayor on a range of issues.
At the October 25 both councillors got five votes each from their colleagues – the expected factional split numbers-wise, though the votes were anonymous.
CEO Jeremy Edwards gravely announced: “Madam mayor and councillors, we have not been able to establish a single candidate with an absolute majority for first place.
“… we will be drawing lots to determine who is elected.”
Staff had a pair of hollow blue balls on hand for this eventuality, which we hear were disseminated to councils ahead of the election.
Each ball had a slip bearing a candidate’s name inserted, and a blind pluck from a box saw Cr Petersen-Pik elected.
Most councils have an odd number of members to avoid these kinds of ties.
But due to Ms Piffaretti resigning from her council position during the election her old North Ward seat remains empty for now, so Bayswater has 10 members instead of the usual 11.
Future council votes won’t be down to the blue balls, which is a special rule for breaking a tied vote for deputy. In other tied scenarios the presiding member gets to cast a second vote, and that’s almost always the mayor.
by DAVID BELL
Perth Voice Interactive 
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