It has been a very exciting month so far. With the end of Pride month and its celebrations, now comes a turning point in the history of Byron Bay. The Mayoral election of 2023 marks the 65th time a new mayor will be elected in the history of our city. The two final candidates, Luke Lewis and Jamar Willis, has been going head to head in a series of heated debates. Of course the hot topic of this years election is the control of the wild dog population. The shelters in town have been overridden and are at full capacity and thankfully because of donations from generous people, these poor animals have been able to keep their bellies full. But this simply isn’t sustainable because there aren’t enough people in Byron bay to adopt and love these furry little creatures. What is puzzling is that no one knows how the population has grown so large or where the dogs came from. Some people suspect that it was a tourist who smuggled these Dogs over by airplane. Candidate Lewis has suggested that we seek aid from the federal government citing that it’s considered a national emergency. Lewis has promised to demand emergency funding in order to find these animals safe and loving homes overseas and to transport them to their forever homes. Candidate Willis has disagreed with this sentiment and feels that relying on the federal government is a sign of weakness and that we as a community need to stand together and figure this out on our own. Many have criticized this citing that the City does not have the financial means to fund such a campaign and that the dog population greatly outnumbers the human population.
According to recent polls, Luke Lewis currently leads in the popular vote by an impressive margin of 7,800 votes. It’s clear that the majority of Byron bay citizens believe he is the man for the Mayor job for the foreseeable future. Many believe that his quick decision making skills will lead him to success in a leadership role. No doubt that his experience in the military as a commanding officer will serve him well in this role. Of course, Lewis is the relative of the famous Byron Bay Army General, Nicholas Lewis, whom was known for his heroic efforts in Conflict: Thunderdome, where he saved the lives of 15 soldiers that were being held prisoner by defeating his arch nemesis, Jed Jungen. General Lewis will forever be remembered by the family members of those he saved and the citizens of Byron Bay for granting their independence from the ruthless rule of the Jungen Dynasty in 1885.
Election day comes on July 10th so make sure you cast your vote before then and let your voice be heard! For more information on the election and up to date poll rankings, click here