AN overwhelming voting margin on one ward and a current councillor trailing in counting in another is the first indication of changes in the composition of Gannawarra Shire Council.
Provisional results in multi-councillor ward contests will not be known until 5pm Saturday and final results will not be declared until 12 noon on Monday.
Progressive counting by the Victorian Electoral Commission shows Lake Charm farmer, Charlie Gillingham with a clear lead in the Avoca Ward with almost three-quarters of the count completed.
As at yesterday, Mr Gillingham had achieved 80.37 per cent of counted votes, provisionally with an unassailable lead over farmer and machinery dealer, Rodney Hibbet in a two-way contest to succeed the retiring Neil Gannon.
The latest counting as this issue was published showed Mr Gillingham with 745 votes to Mr Hibbet’s 182. There are 1276 people enrolled and 927 votes have been counted.
The Murray Ward outcome is less clear, with mechanic, Steven Tasker holding a 78-vote lead over current councillor, Oscar Aertssen with 66.5 per cent of the total enrolment of 1406 counted.
Mr Tasker was 8.66 per cent ahead in the latest published voting.
Four people are seeking three positions in Patchell Ward and five are contesting two vacancies in Yarran Ward.
The Patchell candidates are current councillors, Mark Arians and Brian Gibson and two women, Jodie Basile and Jenny Fawcett.
Yarran Ward candidates are Robert Cooper, Andrew Gibbs, Sonia Wright and current councillors, Neville Goulding and Lorraine Learmonth.
Postal votes for all wards posted before the 6pm deadline last Friday and received before 12 noon today will be counted. Provisional results will be available between today and Monday.
The election will be declared on the steps of the shire’s Memorial Municipal Chambers in Victoria Street at 12 noon on Monday.
