Tom Marriott says preferential voting left the door open for candidates who were not the first choice of the community.
A FORMER Griffith councillor has slammed affiliations between council candidates as "undemocratic", saying he regrets running on a ticket in the 1980s.
Tom Marriott, who has also run as an independent in state government elections, said preferential voting left the door open for candidates who were not the first choice of the community.
His comments came as local candidates declared their affiliations for the September election.
At the official draw on Wednesday afternoon, the political pairing of Rotary colleagues John Dal Broi and Leon Thorpe was drawn in the revered top spot on the ballot paper.
They will be followed by Cr Dino Zappacosta and Rina Mercuri.
The other three groups comprise Crs Christine Stead and Simon Croce, Cr Bill Lancaster and former council executive Alison Balind, and the unlikely treble of incumbent mayor Mike Neville, Cr Anne Napoli and Yenda floods campaigner Paul Rossetto.
Five candidates Brian Hopper, Lance Perry, Harnek Dhanoa, Cr Doug Curran and Cr Pat Cox will run as independents.
Mr Marriott said the independent candidates would be disadvantaged by the voting system, with any "excess" votes for grouped candidates flowing down to the next person on their ticket.
"People who don't get anywhere near enough votes get dragged on to council and that's not a reflection on what the community wants," Mr Marriott said.
"The people I brought in on my ticket in 1983 were obviously not the choice of the overwhelming majority and only got in on excess preferences.
"It's all very well to say you want the people of your choice to come with you onto council but it's supposed to be the people's choice, not yours."
For the second time, the Griffith community will vote for its own mayor in this year's election.
Nine candidates have put their best foot forward for the position, including six current councillors and three men who have previously led the city.