Council elections

Mount Alexander Shire Council conducted its election held on 24 October 2020 by postal voting, it was conducted by the Victorian Electoral Commission. The results were declared at 6.00 pm on Wednesday 4 November 2020, at the Civic Centre.

All Councillors took the oath of office and made a declaration to abide by the Councillors Code of Conduct at a Meeting of Council on 24 November 2020.

Calder Ward
Tony Cordy (unopposed)

Castlemaine Ward
Rosie Annear (1st elected)
Bill Maltby (2nd elected)
Gary McClure (3rd elected)

Coliban Ward
Christine Henderson (unopposed)

Loddon River Ward
Matthew Driscoll

Tarrengower Ward
Stephen Gardner

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) declared the results of the Mount Alexander Shire Council election at 6.00pm on Wednesday 4 November. The results were declared ward by ward in the Council Chamber at the Civic Centre in Castlemaine.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the declaration of results was not open to the public. Council live streamed the declaration via its YouTube channel. To find the broadcast, search for Mount Alexander Shire Council on YouTube.

The VEC will make the official results available at www.vec.vic.gov.au.

View the broadcast

The four wards of Tarrengower, Coliban, Calder and Loddon River comprise one Councillor each, elected under the preferential voting system. The Castlemaine ward elects three Councillors under the proportional representation system of voting. All Councillors are elected by voters to govern the whole Shire.

The VEC conducted a countback to fill the extraordinary vacancy for the Castlemaine Ward at 2.00 pm on 5 March 2018. The successful candidate did not complete a Declaration of Eligibility within 48 hours of the countback and was therefore not declared as Councillor.

The VEC conducted a second countback in the Council Chamber at 2.15 pm on 7 March 2018 in the Mount Alexander Shire Civic Centre, corner Lloyd and Lyttleton Streets, Castlemaine. Max Lesser was successful, and following his signing of the Declaration of Eligibility, was declared elected by the VEC at 2.20 pm that afternoon.

Councillor Lesser signed the Oath of Office and made a declaration to abide by the Councillor Code of Conduct before the Chief Executive Officer on Thursday 8 March 2018.

Stephen Gardner is Tarrengower Ward’s new representative on Mount Alexander Shire Council, after a by-election was held to fill an extraordinary vacancy.

Stephen Gardner was among three candidates standing for the by-election, and he will represent Tarrengower Ward on the Mount Alexander Shire Council until the next general council election in October 2020.

The Returning Officer, Dean Curtis, declared the results on 23 February 2018 at Council Chambers, Mount Alexander Civic Centre.

Councillor Gardner signed the Oath of Office and made a declaration to abide by the Councillor Code of Conduct before the Chief Executive Officer on Monday 26 February 2017.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) conducted a countback to fill the extraordinary vacancy for the Castlemaine Ward at 11.00 am on 20 November 2017. The successful candidate did not complete a Declaration of Eligibility within 48 hours of the Countback and was therefore not declared as Councillor.

The VEC conducted a second countback in the Council Chamber at 11.30 am on 22 November 2017 in the Mount Alexander Shire Civic Centre, corner Lloyd and Lyttleton Streets, Castlemaine. Dave Petrusma was successful, and following his signing of the Declaration of Eligibility, was declared elected by the VEC at 2.00 pm that afternoon.

Councillor Petrusma signed the Oath of Office and made a declaration to abide by the Councillor Code of Conduct before the Chief Executive Officer on Friday 24 November 2017.

In accordance with the Local Government Act 2020, each candidate in the election must give an election campaign donation return to the Chief Executive Officer, within 40 days after election day.

The return gives details of any gifts received by the candidate, or on behalf of the candidate, during the election period used for or in connection with the election campaign. This includes goods or services.

The CEO must ensure a summary of returns from all candidates is posted on the Council's website.

These summaries must contain:

• The name of each candidate who has lodged a return
• If a gift is included in the return, the name of the person who made the gift
• The total market value of the gift(s) received.

A summary of an election campaign donation return must be made available on Council's internet website until the entitlement date for the next general election.

If you are required to vote, and you don’t vote, and you are not excused, you will be fined.

If you don’t pay the fine, and you are not excused from paying the fine, you will be prosecuted. (All apparent non-voters will be issued with an Apparent Failure to Vote Notice before they are deemed to have committed an offence. If a person fails to respond to the Apparent Failure to Vote Notice, or they provide an insufficient response, an Infringement Notice will be issued carrying a fine of $77.50. Additional prescribed costs and court costs may be added if the fine is not paid before the due date.)

Following changes to the Local Government Act 1989, compulsory voting enforcement is entirely the responsibility of the VEC. Councils are unable to influence enforcement decisions.

All enquiries in relation to non-voter notices must be referred to the VEC.

If a compulsory voting matter has been forwarded to the Infringements Court, the person should contact the Infringements Court to discuss the offence. The VEC cannot consider matters once they have been referred to the Infringements Court. The VEC will provide councils with the lodgement schedule to assist in knowing when matters have been referred to the Infringements Court.

A register of all information requests from candidates was published by Council, in accordance with the Election Period Policy.

The Election Period Policy outlines what business Council can, and cannot, undertake during the Period. See here for more details.

For ratepayers who live outside the shire and want to vote in the upcoming election, you need to be registered as a non-resident voter. Please complete the Owner Ratepayer Application for Enrolment form and return to Council before 4.00pm Friday 28 August 2020.