Candidates release how-to-vote tickets

Ararat

mayor Jo Armstrong has joined former mayor Peter Beales in taking the unusual step of listing candidate preferences for this month’s Ararat Rural City Council election.

Cr Armstrong, in declaring a how-tovote ticket, said she felt it was important to be as ‘transparent as possible’ when informing residents and ratepayers of how she personally intended to vote.

“I encourage all Ararat ratepayers and residents to cast their votes carefully. We should all consider recent history surrounding Ararat Rural City Council and vote accordingly,” she said.

“Whatever the outcome, we need to maintain hard-fought integrity to ensure stability going forward.”

Encouraging people to vote a specific way by announcing how-to-vote tickets is usually confined to state and federal government and large provincial local government elections. It is unusual in rural municipal elections.

“I’ve given this a great deal of consideration and believe the list I’ve provided gives voters important direction,” Cr Armstrong said.

“This is how I intend to vote and I believe it is important to share it with the public and encourage them to do the same.”

Cr Beales, meanwhile, that he had made no deals ments in formulating his preference list.

“I’ve never done a list before, but I have this time. It is a list I see as benefitting the future of the council,” he said.

“The reality is that a Commission of Inquiry into Ararat Rural City Council made certain observations, which have helped form my opinion.”

The Ararat election has 12 candidates for seven council vacancies.

Jane Goninon tops the ballot draw folstressed or agreecandidatelowed by William Waterston, Henry Burridge, Bob Sanders, Colin Mckenzie, Bernardine Atkinson, Jo Armstrong, Gwenda Allgood, Rob Armstrong, Peter Beales, Cecilia Fresle and Neil Manning.

Jo Armstrong’s how-to-vote ticket: J. Armstrong, Beales, Burridge, R. Armstrong, Goninon, Sanders, Waterston, Mckenzie, Fresle, Allgood, Atkinson, Manning.

Peter Beales’ ticket: Beales, J. Armstrong, Goninon, Burridge, R. Armstrong, Sanders, Mckenzie, Waterston, Fresle, Allgood, Atkinson, Manning.

Other council candidates to yesterday had not informed The Weekly Advertiser of any how-to-vote preferences.

The Victorian Electoral Commission is mailing ballot packs to enrolled voters this week and people must have their votes in the mail or hand-delivered to relevant election offices by 6pm, October 23.

The commission will finalise results on November 13.