Run-off elections in Pongau

First female mayor: Huber wins against Huber

Eveline Huber (SPÖ) is the first female mayor of St. Johann im Pongau.

(Bild: Gerhard Schiel)

St. Johann im Pongau is now in the hands of women: Eveline Huber (SPÖ) is the new mayor of the district capital. In Forstau a surprise candidate won, in Bad Gastein the favorite finally prevailed.

After the first round of voting, Eveline Huber was still just ahead of her rival Rudolf Huber. In the end, she clearly won the run-off election for the mayor's seat in the Pongau district capital with 3253 (56 percent) to 2560 (44 percent).

"Of course I hoped that I would win the race," says Eveline Huber. "But I still have to come to terms with the fact that it's really happened."

Eveline Huber is the first SPÖ politician and woman to head St. Johann. She is also the first female head of a district capital in the entire province.

Gregor Schwarz (center) with his Forstau list team

(Bild: zVg)

Schwarz overtakes Rettensteiner
Black is the trump card in Forstau: Gregor Schwarz is the new head of the village. For the first time in its history, the ÖVP has to relinquish the mayor's seat. Entrepreneur and neo-politician Gregor Schwarz, who came second in the first round of voting, won against Martina Rettensteiner (ÖVP) by 236 votes to 177.

First one vote, then clear
In Bad Gastein, Norbert Ellmauer (ÖVP) is a new man at the helm. The successor candidate to long-term mayor Günther Steinbauer clearly prevailed in the run-off election against Franz Weiss (Weiss list). Ellmauer had the upper hand with 1,317 votes and 63.3 percent.

The run-off election was only held by a hair's breadth: On March 10, Ellmauer received exactly half of the valid votes. One vote more and victory would have been his even then.