The 2020 Macedon Ranges local government election has attracted a high level of attention from a range of interested stakeholders.
Candidates have been scrutinised, surveyed and assessed by community organisations including the Macedon Ranges Residents Association and ‘A Forum for Democractic Renewal’, and have been invited to participate in video-recorded interviews by ‘Macedon Ranges Voice’ frontman Paul Hosking.
They have also been canvassed for recruitment by ‘Macedon Ranges Life’, an anonymous group fronted by business development manager James Schaefer, which seeks greater economic development in the shire.
The latter took out an advertisement in the Midland Express last week, and again this week, asking voters not to vote for candidates it alleged were “denying the potential that Victorian government plans offer the region”.
The move has alarmed local residents concerned about the secrecy of the group and its motives (see Opinions, page 20).
Those who have not yet voted and are interested in finding out more about candidates can read the candidate questionnaire and answers from each on the Victorian Electoral Commission’s website.
The MRRA’s assessments can be read on its website, and Macedon Ranges Voice interviews are available for viewing on YouTube. FDR has posted more than 20,000 brochures across the shire to publicise their Traffic Light Voting Guide.
The voting deadline for the 2020 local government elections is 6pm Friday October 23. The VEC will only extend the postal voting timeline if necessary to ensure that voter participation and election results are not affected by any possible mail delivery delays.
All election results are expected to be declared by Friday November 13.
Some councils may be declared earlier than this.
The VEC will publish results progressively on the website as declarations are made.
Ballot packs can be hand delivered to the election office in Kyneton by 6pm on Friday October 23.
Extended office hours the close of voting can be found at: www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2020-local-council-election/elections/macedon-ranges-shire-council
