Clover Moore has cruised to victory and a record fourth term as Sydney's lord mayor in a landslide, picking up a swing of nearly 10 per cent in her primary vote, as the Liberal party lost a key source of support in Sydney's west in an election night Labor said had "blown up" in Premier Mike Baird's face.
Cr Moore declared victory shortly after 9pm before jubilant supporters on Castlereagh Street. "This is a real win for grass roots democracy," she said.
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Clover Moore claims another election victory
The Sydney Lord Mayor celebrates a record fourth term in office. (Video courtesy ABC News 24)
With more than a quarter of votes in the Mayoral contest counted, Cr Moore was streaking ahead with nearly four times the vote of her nearest rival, Tony Abbott's sister Christine Forster.
Despite fears the addition of more than 20,000 businesses to council rolls could weaken her chances, Cr Moore was on track for a primary swing toward her of nearly 10 per cent in her fourth term.
Premier Mike Baird's political opponents were quick to sheet home Cr Moore's victory to a failed attempt to "gerrymander" the electorate against her by backing an initiative of the Shooters, Fisher and Farmers' party to give businesses two votes in the elections for the first time this year.
NSW Labor leader Luke Foley said the laws had "blown up" in the Premier's face. There were other signs of a change in mood in the electorate on Saturday.
In Sydney's south-west had the Liberals appeared set to surrender the Mayoral race in Liverpool council just four years after winning with a suprise swing of more than 20 per cent. Incumbent Liberal Mayor Ned Mannoun did not re-contest the election after it was revealed his office had been raided by the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Cr Moore's numbers on council will take longer to count but her advisers were confident of winning an outright majority with six seats on the council on Saturday night.
![Supporters of incumbent Sydney lord mayor Clover Moore celebrate.](/web/20160911143658im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/k/6/e/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.grdd8x.png/1473567732230.jpg)
To counter the perceived threat, Cr Moore assembled a high-profile ticket which included prominent doctor and gay-rights campaigner Kerryn Phelps and architect Phillip Thalis.
Her rivals Cr Forster and Sydney Matters candidate Angela Vithoulkas also appear to have resoundingly lost what were high stakes challenges.
![Liberal candidate Christine Forster hands out how-to-vote cards in Surry Hills.](/web/20160911143658im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/d/a/p/q/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.grdd8x.png/1473553773644.jpg)
Cr Forster quit her job as a journalist to campaign full time for the mayoralty, while Cr Vithoulkas sold off an investment property to fund her bid.
Resident from 11 councils in the greater Sydney region hit voting stations on Saturday, while those living in districts subject to the Baird government's council mergers will wait another year to decide their local representatives.