Community
27 September, 2024
Election candidates announced
Warrnambool City will transition from an un-subdivided council to a seven-ward council at the October election.
The wards, which will each have one elected representative, are Botanic, Central, Hopkins River, Pertobe, Platypus Park, Russells Creek and Wollaston.
At the close of nominations earlier this month, there were the same number of candidates as vacancies in the Botanic Ward, Russells Creek and Wollaston wards.
In Botanic Ward, Billy Edis will be declared elected after voting closes on October 25.
In Russells Creek Ward, current mayor Cr Ben Blain will be re-elected unopposed.
And in Wollaston Ward, Richard Ziegeler is the sole candidate and will be declared elected.
Candidates for the remaining four wards are as follows:
Central Ward nominations:
Peter Sycopoulis and Debbie Arnott.
Hopkins Ward nominations:
Jim Burke and Willy Benter.
Pertobe Ward nominations:
Matthew Walsh, Peter Hulin, Jennifer Lowe and Leanne Williams.
Platypus Park Ward nominations:
Andrew Squires and Vicki Jellie.
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 the state.
The number of candidates this year is higher than the 2186 candidates who nominated for 622 council vacancies in 298 separate elections at the 2020 council elections.
Voting in this election will be done via postal vote.
Ballot pack mail-out will begin on Monday, October 7, with voting to close at 12 noon on Friday, October 25.
The ballot pack will contain a ballot paper, candidate statements, a ballot paper envelope (to place vote in) and a reply-paid envelope.
All postal votes must be received by 12 noon on Friday, November 1 and election results will be declared on Friday, November 15.
More details on each of the candidates nominated for Warrnambool City Council will appear in next week’s edition of the Warrnambool Weekly.
