Four confirmed but no ALP candidate

Five candidates have announced they will stand for the seat of Narracan at this month’s state election, but a Labor party candidate is not among them.

Less than two weeks from pre-poll voting opening, the governing ALP is yet to announce a candidate in Narracan for the November 26 election.

The Victoria Labor website yesterday listed Narracan as “vacant” among its confirmed candidates for the lower house.

The five that have been endorsed by their parties are Leonie Blackwell (Freedom Party), Wayne Farnham (Liberal), Shane Gilchrist (The Nationals), Laura Rees (Animal Justice Party) and Alyssa Weaver (Greens).

Gary Blackwood, who has held the seat for the Liberal Party for the past 16 years, is retiring at the election.

In the Upper House seat of Eastern Victoria, that covers an area extending from outer metropolitan and takes in all of Gippsland, five members will be elected.

Current sitting members Tim McIntosh and Harriet Shing (ALP), Catherine Burnett-Wake (Liberal), Melina Bath (The Nationals) and Jeff Bourman (Shooters, Farmers and Fishers party) will all re-contest the election.

Also declaring their intention to stand are Greg Hansford for the Australian Federation Party and independent Vern Hughes.

Nominations for elections in both houses officially open tomorrow (November 2) and close on November 10 for those that represent registered political parties and the following day for independent candidates.

Voter enrolments close on November 8.

Early voting pre-polling booths will open from Monday, November 14 until Friday, November 25, ahead of the official polling date on November 26.

Postal voting will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23.

The Victorian Electoral Commission said there will be 155 pre-polling locations across the state, an increase of 50 per cent on the 2018 election.

Pre-poll and election day voting centres will appear on the VEC website from later today.