Councillors Mark Jones, Mike Crichton and Lorna Buchan facing Deb Hamblin in 2025 Rockingham mayoral election

Three current City of Rockingham councillors will battle it out against incumbent Deb Hamblin to be the next mayor.

Councillors Mark Jones, Mike Crichton and Lorna Buchan have all thrown their hat in the ring.

It will be seen in October if Ms Hamblin can hold on to her position after becoming Rockingham’s first popularly elected mayor in 2021.

Ms Hamblin was also the first woman to become mayor, succeeding Barry Sammels, who held the position for 18 years.

This is the second run against Ms Hamblin for Cr Jones and Cr Buchan, who also nominated in 2021, which proved to be a tight race.

Ms Hamblin won with 6386 votes, with Cr Buchan coming in second with 5489 and Cr Jones third with 4411.

This will be Cr Crichton’s first tilt for the position.

Cr Crichton is the manager of The Crew in Rockingham, working closely with people who are homeless.

“I love working in the community and being at the coal face, I believe it keeps me in touch with the local community and provides me with an understanding of the issues people are facing,” he said.

Cr Jones, a town planner, has been a councillor for eight years and ran for the Liberal Party in the recent State Election.

He is urging voters to put himself first on their ballots, followed by Cr Buchan, and described himself as a careful listener.

Cr Jones said he would be pushing for investment in the city, including the Karnup train station and Wanliss Street Marina.

Cr Buchan, a chartered accountant, is the current deputy mayor and counts reduced use of credit cards as one of her achievements.

“I believe every dollar should serve the people, not fund junkets and perks,” she said.

Cr Buchan was instrumental in rolling back the city’s controversial social media defamation policy.

Ms Hamblin says her future goals for the city include securing local benefits as part of the AUKUS arrangement, funding for the Safety Bay/Shoalwater Foreshore master plan and growing local employment opportunities.

“We are entering a period of exciting opportunity. Now more than ever, Rockingham needs a clear vision to move forward,” she said.

“I have the experience and proven leadership to enhance our city.”

Councillors Caroline Hume, Leigh Liley, Dawn Jecks, Robert Schmidt and Brett Wormall will also recontest their seats at this election.

In the Baldivis ward, Cr Wormall will face Army intelligence analyst Eternity Hausen, law student Dylan Mbano and finance manager Samuel Potsey.

Comet Bay councillor Cr Schmidt is up against anti-FOGO candidate David Rudman and Rockingham Senior High School board chair Patchara Weggers.

In Rockingham-Safety Bay, panel beater Jason Davies, veteran Ryan Robertson and former deputy mayor Allen Hill hope to oust Crs Liley, Hume and Jecks.

The election is on October 18.