Council
30 September, 2024
Mixed fortunes ahead for Wimmera shire councils
Wimmera shire councils will be anticipating mixed fortunes at the October elections.
In the most fiercely fought contest, 15 candidates are vying for just six seats at Northern Grampians.
Meanwhile, no one will be going to the polls in Yarriambiack, as all six candidates will be elected unopposed.
The shire saw its representation cut from seven seats to six.
But with two councillors retiring - Graeme Massey and Tom Hamilton - Melinda Keel is the sole newcomer joining the remaining five sitting councillors.
West Wimmera also is looking fairly stable.
Helen Hobbs is the only newcomer in the pack, competing with five sitting councillors for the five available seats in the only unsubdivided municipality in the region.
Voters in Hindmarsh were contemplating a massive change of the guard as every councillor bar Deb Nelson prepared to stand down.
But, as the deadline for nominations approached, one of the three two-seat wards was one candidate short.
Veteran councillor Ron Ismay reversed his decision to retire, saving the shire the substantial cost of a by-election.
He and Rosie Barker will be elected unopposed in West Ward.
Two candidates will be elected unopposed in Buloke - Bernadette Hogan and Alan Getley - while six hopefuls will tussle for the four remaining seats.
Following the close of nominations and ballot draws for this year’s local council elections, 2231 candidates nominated for 646 council vacancies in 466 separate elections across Victoria.
Forty-two of those individual elections are uncontested, where the number of candidates is equal to the number of vacancies, and no voting will take place.
There were only 298 separate elections at the 2020 poll, prior to many of the councils being split into wards following last year's electoral review.