Gavin Morris claims most decisive victory in decades as more votes counted

Independent Gavin Morris has claimed the most decisive victory in a Newcastle lord mayoral race in more than 20 years.

As votes were published from pre-poll booths on Monday, the strength of Mr Morris's win became more clear.

More than 95,000 votes had been counted by 3pm on Monday afternoon and Mr Morris held a firm 51.74 per cent of the first preference vote.

While the results are not yet finalised and more votes are to be counted, it points to the most decisive win in a lord mayoral race in decades.

No Newcastle lord mayoral candidate has received more than 50 per cent of first preference votes since at least 2004, when John Tate was re-elected.

Mr Morris took home more than 60 per cent of the number one votes at Wallsend and Fletcher pre-poll booths.

He received more than triple the votes of his next nearest competitor at pre-poll booths in Adamstown, Fletcher, New Lambton and Wallsend.

With pre-poll results added to the count, Greens candidate Charlotte McCabe's first-preference stake has slightly dropped to 19.71 per cent, but she remains ahead of Labor's Declan Clausen, who sat on 16.36 per cent.

Liberal candidate Jenny Barrie was fourth with 7.05 per cent of number one votes.

Socialist Alliance candidate Steve O'Brien had 2.99 per cent of first preference votes, ahead of independent Milton Caine on 2.15 per cent.

The distribution of preferences will take place in the week commencing Monday, May 4.

Postal votes can be lodged until Friday, May 1.

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