We are hearing that that should happen just after midday, assuming the Victorian Electoral Commission does not need to make any last minute delays.

So, we hear you ask, who is going to win after months of campaigning and a two-week election count slowed by COVID-19 safety measures and a huge voter turnout?

More news:

Obviously, it's a bit too early to tell. However, there are a number of candidates worth tracking as results come to hand.

We are not saying they will win or lose, but they are worth keeping an eye on (for the record, we thing they are all interesting, but we appreciate that you might only want to keep track of a few from your ward).

Bendigo is divided into three wards: Lockwood, Eppalock and Whipstick.

Each ward needs three councillors to represent them, meaning nine sit around the council table.

To win one of those seats a candidate needs to get a certain amount of the vote called a "quota".

Get that magic number of votes and you get a seat.

To give you an example, 19,621 people's votes were counted in Eppalock Ward last council election. Candidates needed a quota of 4906 of those votes to be elected.

Only a few councillors can boast getting enough votes to fill their quota on their own. You can imagine how difficult it can be when there are 11 other candidates running in a ward, like there are in Eppalock's this election.

If not enough candidates reach the quota on their own, a system called "preferential voting" voting comes in to play.

Remember numbering your preferred candidates in order of preference when you voted? That was so that your vote would go to your second preference, if your first did not get enough on their own.

Let's take mayor Margaret O'Rourke, who won a seat on council in 2016.

There were 3159 people who put a "1" next to her name on their ballots, nowhere near enough for her to reach her target, a quota of 4906 votes.

No other candidates got enough votes either. So election officials decided to cut another candidate, Brenton Johnson, out of the running.

Every vote Mr Johnson got went to whoever his voters had marked a number "2" next to on their ballots. The process was repeated until three people had been elected.

Margaret O'Rourke - current Mayor, Eppalock ward representative

Cr O'Rourke might have only been elected in 2016 but she has already served as mayor four years in a row, an unprecedented number in the council's modern era and a reflection of her reputation around the council table.

She amassed 3159 first preferences at the last election, or 16 per cent of the vote. It was not enough to get her straight on to council (see above).

George Flack, Eppalock Ward representative

The director of Flack Advisory has run on a reputation for fiscal management at both elections.

Cr Flack elected to Eppalock Ward in 2016, where he gained 3515 votes, or 17.91 per cent of the vote. He was able to win a place on the council through preferences.

Cr Flack's aspirations for elected office go back further than 2016. He contested Eppalock in 2012, for example, where he got 3107 first preferences, or 16.33 per cent of the vote.

Susie Hawke, Eppalock Ward representative

The speech pathologist ran in 2016 hoping for stronger voices for children and families on council.

She missed out on a place.

However, she won a 2019 countback triggered by the resignation of Yvonne Wrigglesworth (Ms Wrigglesworth resigned citing a difference in values with fellow councillors over a council sponsored boxing match featuring "ring-girls").

Cr Hawke took 1717 first preference votes in 2016, or 8.75 per cent of the vote.

Helen Leach, former councillor running for Eppalock Ward

Former councillor Helen Leach last held a council seat from 2012 to 2016 and has not limited her election runs to local government.

Ms Leach represented micro-party Labour DLP in 2016's Victorian election, where she gathered 1080 first preferences in the Bendigo East electorate.

She garnered 1696 per cent of the votes in 2016's council election, or 8.64 per cent of that vote.

It was a drop from 2343 votes in 2012, which along with preferences helped her gain her seat on that council.

Rod Fyffe, Lockwood Ward representative

The well-known councillor has served as mayor and deputy mayor throughout his many years at town hall.

Cr Fyffe is very, very popular with voters.

In fact, they like him so much that he sailed through to the council table without having to rely on preferences at the last two elections, which is pretty hard to do under Bendigo's current three- member ward election system.

Jennifer Alden, Lockwood Ward

Elected to Lockwood Ward in 2016, Jennifer Alden is running on a push to build a thriving community that protects the environment and tourism, plus build resilience to climate change.

She won 8.86 per cent of the primary vote in 2016 and gained her seat through preferences.

Barry Lyons, former councillor and Mayor, running for Lockwood Ward

The former publican lost his place on council in 2016 and wants to return, saying he wants to help small businesses and community through the pandemic's aftermath.

He picked up 9.78 per cent of the vote, or 2071 votes, in 2016 but lost as preferences were distributed.

He was more successful in 2012, when he won a seat on council with 12.66 per cent of the vote (2644) votes, getting onto council through preferences.

Vaughan Williams, running for Lockwood Ward

This is not Vaughan Williams' first election campaign. He picked up 1149 votes in his ultimately unsuccessful 2016 campaign for Lockwood Ward.

You may also remember him from the 2019 federal election campaign, when he ran for Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.

Andrea Metcalf, Whipstick Ward representative

Andrea Metcalf had the second highest number of primary votes in Whipstick Ward in 2016, giving her a formidable support base of 2851 voters.

She was beaten only by then-councillor Peter Cox (he had 2856).

Yet it was Cr Metcalf who got a seat. Mr Cox was kicked off.

It was all down to preferences. Candidates needed to get to a quota of 5395 and Mr Cox could not win enough.

Cr Metcalf will be hoping to keep her strong support base in Whipstick Ward in 2020, and perhaps too that preferences will flow to her like they did four years ago.

Malcolm Pethybridge, Whipstick Ward representative

Cr Pethybridge lost his 2016 bid for election and would not have sat at the council table if not for the 2018 resignation of Julie Hoskin upon being declared bankrupt (elected council officials cannot serve when they are classed as an "undischarged bankrupt).

Mr Pethybridge received 1670 first preference votes in 2016, or 7.74 per cent of the vote.

David Fagg, running for Whipstick Ward

The Whipstick Ward candidate was early favourite to win his first seat on council.

Mr Fagg is well-known around town for volunteering as well as work as a teacher, youth worker and community worker.

Thomas Prince, Running for Whipstick Ward

This is not Thomas Prince's first run for an elected office.

He ran in 2016 for the same ward, picking up 11.66 per cent of first preferences.

The 30-year-old said that tilt was a learning experience that made him a better candidate this time around.