WITH nominations closing at midday on Tuesday the field of contenders for the Gannawarra Shire Council elections is now finalised.
While only four people had been accepted as candidates on Monday morning, by Tuesday afternoon a field of 15 had been registered across the shire’s four wards.
The Avoca ward, on the west side of the Gannawarra shire, was one of 26 uncontested elections around the state, with former councillor Charlie Gillingham the only nominee.
That means Mr Gillingham will be automatically re-elected in October and residents in Avoca will not need to vote.
In the Murray ward, former first-term councillor Steve Tasker will recontest the single vacancy, with former community and arts worker Yvette Myhill and former Goulburn-Murray Water manager Ross Stanton lining up against him.
A random draw to order the ballot sees Ms Myhill in first position on the ballot paper, followed by Mr Tasker and Mr Stanton
In Patchell, where three people will be elected, current councillor Jenny Fawcett, who was elected on countback in March following the resignation of former councillor Mark Arians, is running again.
Joining her in the contest is Kerang Progress Association president Kelvin Burt, educator Paul Donovan, senior constable Travis Collier, Gannawarra Shire staff member Jane Ogden and former Gannawarra councillors Neil Gannon and Rodney Hibbet, the manager of Hibbet Machinery.
The order of the drawer has Mr Burt in first position on the Patchell ballot, followed by Mr Hibbet, Mr Gannon and Ms Fawcett.
After them are Mr Donovan, Mr Collier and Ms Ogden.
Lining up in Yarran, where two councillors will be elected, are, in order, Swan Hill Rural City accountant Andrea Otto, Leitchville farmer Keith Link, Riverland store owner Garner Smith and former mayor Neville Goulding.
This year’s council elections will be held entirely by postal vote with ballot papers mailed to electors between October 6 and October 8.
Marked ballots need to be in the mail back to the Victorian Electoral Commission by Friday, October 23.
Election results will be announced progressively across the state before Friday, November 13.
Candidate statements will be available on the VEC website next Monday.
