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A by-election for the position of mayor of Townsville in Queensland will be held in late 2025 or early 2026, following the resignation of incumbent mayor Troy Thompson. [1] Thompson, who was suspended from the mayoralty by the Queensland Government in November 2024, will recontest the position at the by-election. [2]
Townsville City Council requested the Electoral Commission of Queensland to conduct the by-election via post. [3]
Nick Dametto, who has served as the member for Hinchinbrook in the Legislative Assembly of Queensland since 2017, announced on the same day as Thompson's resignation that he would contest the mayoral by-election. [4] Under Queensland law, candidates running for local government positions cannot be a member of a state or federal parliament. [5] Dametto will resign from the Katter's Australian Party (KAP) and contest as an independent, although the KAP has endorsed his candidacy. [6] [7]
Perennial candidate Harry Patel will contest the by-election. [8] Acting mayor Ann-Maree Greaney, former Mundingburra MP Les Walker, and former deputy mayor Mark Molachino are considering contesting. [8]
No political parties endorsed candidates at the 2024 mayoral election. [9] [10] The Labor Party (ALP) has not endorsed candidates for Townsville local elections since 2008, while the Liberal National Party (LNP) has confirmed it will continue to not endorse candidates. [4] [11]