A record number of potential councillors have nominated for Victoria’s local council elections.
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Victorian Electoral Commission communication team leader Mike Lagastes said at the close of nominations 2135 candidates had nominated for 637 councillor positions.
“The number of candidates this year is higher than the 2004 candidates who nominated during the 2012 round of council elections,” he said.
Of the 260 council elections, Mr Lagaste said 38 would be uncontested, where the number of candidates is equal to the number of vacancies.
Six of those are in central Victoria with three in the Campaspe Shire, two in the Mount Alexander Shire and one in the Central Goldfields Shire.
Voters in the wards with uncontested elections will not be required to vote.
For more details on the candidate nominations in your ward visit the Victorian Electoral Commission website.
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MACEDON RANGES SHIRE
There is no shortage of nomination in the Macedon Ranges Shire with 27 nominations for the nine vacancies across three wards.
Henry McLaughlin, Sally Piper and John Connor are stepping down from the Macedone Shire council.
The East Ward has the most nominations with 11 people standing.
Current mayor Graham Hackett and councillor Ian Ellis will standing against Natasha Gayfer, Henry Bleeck, Nicole Rowan, Bill Wesy, Randell Bick, Deborah Alford-Kerr, Hilary Roberts, Geoffrey Neil and Damien Parolin.
In the South Ward, current councillors Russell Mowat and John Letchford are against six other candidates.
JS Amenta, Mandi Mees, Paul Hosking, Andrew Twaits, Helen Radnedge and Jamie Byron are the other candidates on the South Ward.
Eight candidates have also nominated for the West Ward.
Jennifer Anderson and Roger Jukes are the two current councillors in that ward with Andrew Dodds, Janet Pearce, Rosie Torr, Donna Fisk, Ron Rutledge and Luke Spielvogel all nominating for the West Ward.
MOUNT ALEXANDER SHIRE
Two wards in the Mount Alexander Shire Council will have councillors elected unopposed at the upcoming election.
Anthony Cordy is standing unopposed in the Calder Ward while John Nieman is unopposed in the Loddon River Ward.
Both wards have just one vacancy on the Mount Alexander council.
Mr Nieman will take over the Loddon River Ward from outgoing councillor Michael Redden.
Mr Cordy was elected to council in 2014 after a by-election was called to replace Tim Barber, who resigned because he moved away from the shire.
Mount Alexander deputy mayor Sharon Telford will stand against Stephen Gardner for the one vacancy in the Tarrengower Ward.
The single vacancy in the Coliban Ward will be contested by current mayor Christine Henderson as well as Bill Bayliss and Michael Reeves.
Three vacancies on the Castlemaine Ward should be hotly contested with eight people standing on the ballot.
Current councillors Tony Bell, Chris Cole and Bronwyn Machin are on the ballot with Robin Taylor, Susan Mayfair, Max Lesser, Jay Smith and Dave Petrusma.
CAMPASPE SHIRE
At least three new councillors will be selected in the Campaspe Shire elections with Emma Bradbury, Carol Howell and Ian Maddison not standing again.
Vicki Neele, Henry Loguehaye-Hooper and Neil Repacholi will stand against current councillors John Zobec and Neil Pankhurst for the three vacancies in the Kyabram-Deakin Ward.
The Echuca Ward will be the most heavily contested in the Campaspe Shire with current councillor Paul Jarman standing for re-election alongside Daniel Mackrell, Peter Williams, Thomas Weyrich, Kristen Munro, Annie Vickers, Eric Grumont and Rohan Burgess.
Current councillors Leigh Wilson, Adrian Weston and Leanne Pentreath will be re-elected unopposed in the single vacancy wards of Rochester, Waranga and Western.
CENTRAL GOLDFIELDS SHIRE
Central Goldfields Shire will see two-person battles in the Tullaroop and Flynn Wards.
Current councillor Robert Henderson and Costa Di Biase are standing for one vacancy in the Flynn Ward while Helen Broad (current) and Janine Perry are standing for the single vacancy in the Tullaroop ward.
The Paddy Ranges Ward is secure with Chris Meddows-Taylor the only candidate to nominate for the single vacancy.
The Maryborough ward has five candidates for its four vacancies with Gerard Murphy, Neil Arbuthnot, Paula Nixon, Geoff Lovett and Wendy McIvor all standing.
BULOKE SHIRE
Just three of the Buloke Shire Councli’s seven councillors will re-contest their seats at the upcoming elections.
Ellen White, Graeme Milne and David Pollard will stand in their respective wards.
Ms White will contest for one of the two vacancies on the Mallee Ward against David Vis and Murray McLean.
Mr Pollard will contest for one of the two vacancies in the Lower Avoca Ward against John Shaw, Bronwyn Simpson and Alan Getley.
In the Mount Jeffcott Ward, Mr Milne will also re-contest his seat against Daryl Warren, Brendan Beasley, and Carolyn Stewart.
Outgoing mayor Reid Mather announced his intention to step down last week.
He said after four consecutive council terms it was time for new leadership.
“I’ve been given fantastic opportunities to represent our local community and put Buloke’s needs front and centre,” he said.
The other outgoing Buloke councillors are Stuart McLean, Graeme Milne, Gail Sharp and Leo Tellefson.