The ballot has been drawn for the Yarra Ranges’ upcoming council elections, with changes potentially afoot with a number of new candidates vying for positions.
The official announcement was made on Wednesday 18 September after nominations closed at midday on Tuesday.
At the close of nominations, the Victorian Electoral Commission announced that this year 2231 candidates nominated for 646 council vacancies in 466 separate elections.
The number of candidates this year is higher than the 2186 candidates who nominated for 622 councillor vacancies in 298 separate elections at the 2020 council elections.
Across the Yarra Ranges there’s nine different wards each with one vacant position to be filled.
Two wards will go uncontested, with Richard Higgins for the Chirnside Ward and Fiona McAllister for the Ryrie Ward, holding their positions as the only nominations to be listed.
This means, at this election, residents in these wards will not be required to vote.
In total 42 of the 466 individual elections are uncontested.
Three wards, Chandler, Lyster and Streeton, will find themselves with a new councillor after David Eastham, Johanna Skelton and Andrew Fullagar respectively did not renominate for the 2024 election.
Veteran councillor Len Cox has renominated and if re-elected, it would make it over 40 years of service to the council – something he was recently recognised for by the Municipal Association of Victoria.
The contested ballot draw stands as below, with names in order of appearance:
Billanook:
Wendy Wright
Tim Heenan
Chandler:
Ashley Hansen
Belinda Grooby
Gareth Ward
Lyster:
Divesh Sareen
Mick Spruhan
Peter Mcilwain
Melba:
Mitch Mazzarella
Sophie Todorov
Chris Templer
O’Shannassy:
Jim Child
James Talbett
Karen Duke
Wil Mikelsons
Dylan Little
Jane Stormer
Chloe Bond
Streeton:
Jeff Marriott
Sigrid Petersen
Walling:
Len Cox
David Ferrier
In the lead up to the election, Star Mail will be profiling each candidate, addressing their stance on issues, why they are running and what they would like to achieve if elected.
The ballot pack mail out begins on Monday 7 October with voting to close at 6pm on Friday 25 October. Postal votes must be received by 12pm Friday 1 November.
The Yarra Ranges Shire election office is located at the Silvan Public Hall, 271 Monbulk Road, Silvan.
All election results will be declared by Friday 15 November.
