All eyes on the Greens in NT council elections

The Greens have endorsed three candidates for today's elections across the territory.

Much of the attention for today's local council elections in the Northern Territory will be directed at the Greens, who have endorsed three candidates in closely-fought contests.

Ellyane Wall is contesting Chan Ward in the City of Darwin, where sitting Greens councillor Morgan Rickard isn't recontesting. The Greens first won a seat in this three-member ward in 2008.

There won't be a Greens candidate in Lyons Ward, despite the party once holding a seat there and Greens candidate Suki Dorras-Walker only recently winning the primary vote (but falling short of a victory after preferences) for the Lyons Ward by-election in 2023.

Alice Springs will also be closely watched, with first-term independent mayor Matt Paterson stepping down. The Greens have endorsed Asta Hill, who came close to winning the seat of Braitling from the CLP with a 30% primary vote swing at last year's NT election, as their candidate for mayor and councillor.

In addition to this, Aia Newport, the NT Greens lead candidate for the Senate this year, is also running for an Alice Springs council spot. If Hill isn't successful in the mayoral race, the Greens winning two of the eight councillor positions would be tough (but not impossible).

Regardless of what happens today, the NT Greens will still hold at least one councillor position, with Dianne Stokes serving as a Patta Ward councillor in Barkly (a council that is not heading to the polls today after holding an election late last year).

No other political party have endorsed candidates for these elections. In 2021, there were various unendorsed Labor and CLP members, as well as one unendorsed Australian Progressives member (Leah Potter in Darwin).