The open mayoral seat in Meander Valley Council, following incumbent Wayne Johnston’s April 2026 decision not to recontest after eight years, has produced a tight three-way contest among the remaining candidates. Trader consensus shows Stephanie Cameron, the sitting deputy mayor since 2022, and Ben Dudman, a councillor elected in 2022, essentially level near one-third implied probability each, with John Temple a distant third and residual pricing on Johnston near zero. Both leading contenders highlight records of local service, infrastructure priorities, and community engagement in their statements, while the compulsory postal ballot—closing 27 October with results expected shortly after—leaves limited time for late shifts. The absence of an incumbent and the small number of mayoral nominees have kept the race competitive, with any final preference flows or turnout variations among the 13 councillor candidates potentially decisive.