THE RESULTS of the Clarence Valley Council election will be released at 11am this morning.

The council returning officer, Leisa Stout, said data entry of the ballot papers ran to schedule and the system was ready to distribute preferences.

Only one of the 21 candidates, Mayor Richie Williamson, attracted enough primary votes to win a quota (the number of formal votes divided by the number of council positions, plus one), which guaranteed him a place.

His excess votes will be distributed as preferences.

As candidates are eliminated from the race, their preferences will flow up to the remaining candidates adding to their tallies. As candidates reach the quota figure, they are declared elected.

If there are positions to fill and the votes are exhausted the candidates with the highest numbers of votes fill those places.