By Corey Everitt
Ex-councillor David Nickell has been elected to the council over two decades since he last served, defeating incumbent Jeff Springfield and ending his two-term reign.
The VEC calculated the preference distribution for Ranges Ward on Friday 8 November in a race that saw Nickell on a slight lead of a hundred votes in the first preference count.
Nickell won by 603 votes after preferences to defeat Springfield, 4066 votes to 3463.
Fellow candidate, Catherine Oldenburger fell behind in the first preference votes where Nickell and Springfield surged ahead with only about a 100-vote margin.
Oldenburger would be the kingmaker in this contest with 1225 of her 1956 votes going to preference Nickell.
Previously serving as Ranges Ward councillor from 2000 to 2003, Nickell returns to council over 20 years later.
He has contributed to a number of committees over the years, including the Mountain Road Reserve Committee of Management, helping to establish the first Cockatoo Township Committee, joining the Gembrook Township Committee and serving as the chairperson for close to 10 years, and co-founding the Eastern Dandenong Ranges Association (EDRA) and serving as chair for a few years.
The final results for Toomuc Ward are expected later today.
