“Ms Helen Wright has been elected to fill the casual vacancy on the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body, resulting from the resignation of one of its members, Mr Jacob Keed,” the Electoral Commissioner, Damian Cantwell AM CSC, said today.

Mr Keed resigned as a member of the Elected Body on 15 September 2023.

“All candidates who stood unsuccessfully at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body 2021 election were invited to contest the vacancy. Five applications were received prior to the close of applications at 12 noon, Wednesday 18 October 2023,” Mr Cantwell said.

Mr Keed became a member of the Elected Body following his success in a previous casual vacancy following the resignation of Ms Margaret Blackman. Ms Blackman was one of seven original members of the Elected Body following the 2021 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body general election. As vacancies on the Elected Body are filled by distributing the votes received by the former member elected at the general election, in effect, those voters who voted for Ms Blackman will determine Mr Keed’s replacement.

After the formal declaration of candidates, a distribution of the votes received by Ms Blackman took place at 2pm on Wednesday 18 October 2023, conducted by Elections ACT.

“Following the distribution of preferences Ms Helen Wright was declared elected to fill the casual vacancy on the Elected Body,” Mr Cantwell said.

The official declaration of the poll took place at 10:30 am on Thursday 19 October 2023.