IT may be tight in the mayoral race for Maitland, but that won't worry Henry Meskauskas as much as it once did.
The outgoing West Ward councillor marked the end of an era at the weekend election. After 32 years on council, Cr Meskauskas announced his decision to step down from his civic duties in April. He made the call for health reasons and to spend more time with wife Carolina and his family.
But that didn't stop him from showing support for his fellow Labor candidates at the Rutherford Technology High School polling booth on Saturday.
Cr Meskauskas was first was elected to Maitland City Council when he won a by-election for West Ward in 1987.
"I've come to the end of the road. It's changed over the 32 years from when I first started to today," he said.
A former Australian and NSW swimming champion and Cr Meskauskas has been also been honoured with a lane at Maitland Pool named after him. Cr Meskauskas thanked the Maitland community for its continuing support.
"I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart for their support," Cr Meskauskas said. "It's a privilege and honour. You represent the people and you have to always keep that in mind."
Precisely who will have the privilege of serving as mayor is undecided, with Labor incumbent Loretta Baker slightly ahead of independent challenger Philip Penfold.
Mr Penfold said he believed he would win the first past the post race, but preferences have him "a 50/50 chance". The council seems likely to include at least three Penfold independents, with four each from Labor and the Liberals. A final seat in Central Ward is a tight race between the Greens and Penfold's ticket.
Ms Baker pointed to winning 17 of 23 booths counted on election night, but said the potentially-decisive preferences were less predictable given COVID-19 rules had limited election materials,
Ms Baker said in a post to supporters she expected counting to run into "the next week or two".
"I think it is 50/50 at the moment," she said.
