Council election candidates

Twenty one candidates including nine women and 12 men are seeking election to nine councillor positions for Baw Baw Shire.

There are nine candidates for central ward, six for east ward and six for west ward. Three councillors will be elected in each ward.

For the first time, candidates are unable to direct voters on how they would like them to vote.

On August 21, the state government amended legislation relating to the allocation of preferences at local council postal elections.

As a result, candidates are no longer allowed to lodge an indication of preferences in the ballot packs mailed to voters.

There are five sitting councillors in the field of candidates but the remaining three-quarters of nominations are from community members who want to have their say, contribute to the community or bring about change.

Voting packs were mailed to voters across the shire last week.

Central ward candidates in ballot paper order are: Mikaela Power, Remi Yusef, Teresa Mitchell, Dale Bainbridge, Justin Cooper, Danny Goss, Duncan McNeil, Joe Gauci and Annemarie McCabe.

East ward candidates include David Lyons, Darren Wallace, Peter Kostos, Darren Short, Michael Leaney and Fred Boreham.

West ward candidates are: Jessica O’Donnell, Debbie Brown, Shelley Wyatt, Tricia Jones, Keith Cook and Jennifer Smith.

The VEC is co-ordinating the election, that will be by postal vote and closes at 6pm on October 21.

Gazette journalists Keith Anderson and Yvette Brand have interviewed the 21 candidates.

The profiles appear in ballot paper order for each ward on pages 28-32.