Dennis Tucker will be Alderman for the City of Hamilton, following yesterday’s nomination in which no other contender for the post was nominated.

Mr Tucker was nominated by ruling party backbencher Dale Butler and seconded by Roseann Edwards.

The first municipal election to be held under universal adult franchise was set for March 29, with advanced polling to be held March 22, but will now no longer be necessary.

Mr Tucker resigned as Common Councillor on Monday in order to contest the election following the resignation of Deputy Mayor Glen Smith who will be contesting the general election.

Alderman John Harvey was appointed Deputy Mayor following Mr Smith’s resignation.

Reforms opened the municipal elections strictly to residents of both Hamilton and St George’s.

A bill restricting the vote to residents alone was approved in the House of Assembly in March 2011.

Under the previous order, business owners wielded more than one vote if they held multiple properties.

An overhaul of the 1923 Municipalities Act formally abolished the property vote in 2010, opening up the Cities to universal franchise.

It had previously been linked to property ownership and taxation, leaving many disenfranchised.