The election, held to fill two vacancies created by the resignations of Councillors Kim Gregory in July and Cynthia Axford in January, concluded with the official declaration of results by the Electoral Commission of South Australia (ECSA) on November 28.
Cr Eason, a retired police officer and local business owner, secured 299 votes after preferences were distributed. Cr Tod, a real estate professional with over 30 years of experience, garnered 452 first-preference votes, the highest of the five candidates contesting the election.
Cr Eason said she was committed to ensuring ratepayers' voices were heard.
“I’m passionate about preserving our heritage, supporting tourism, and fostering business growth to benefit future generations,” she said.
Cr Tod, a Port Broughton resident of 23 years and Director of Blights Real Estate, said she was committed to leveraging her knowledge and experience to evaluate possibilities and achieve sustainable outcomes that would positively impact current and future generations.
“I look forward to working with residents to achieve positive outcomes across our district,” she said.
The election, conducted by postal ballot and overseen by ECSA, followed the requirements of the Local Government (Elections) Act 1999, with a voter turnout of 44.04%
Barunga West Council’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Steve Davey, welcomed the new councillors: “We are confident Councillors Eason and Tod will make valuable contributions as they represent their community,” he said.