State election candidates confirmed

THE list of people running in this month’s State election have been locked in.

Last Friday saw the close of nominations for the vote, with the order they’ll appear on the ballot drawn shortly after.

The local electoral divisions of Wendouree, Eureka – which was known as Buninyong, and Ripon, all of which touch on Ballarat have all gone through significant boundary changes recently.

Wendouree, which is now focused on the majority of urban Ballarat will see seven candidates run for the seat.

Family First’s Ian Harkness drew number one sport on the ballot, followed by Bryn Hills from the Animal Justice Party, the Liberals Samantha McIntosh, sitting Labor member Juliana Addison, independent Bren Eckel, the DLP’s Dianne Colbert, and lastly Ellen Burns from the Greens.

In Eureka, which covers south-eastern Ballarat, most of Golden Plains Shire and almost all of the people in Moorabool Shire, there’s 10 names on the ballot.

Liberal Paul Tatchell was placed first, with Anthony Giampaolo representing the Freedom Party of Victoria, The Green’s Sam McColl, Family First’s Adrian Garcia, the DLP’s Tabitha Rickard, Wendy Morrison from the AJP, independents Michael Ray, Nicola Reid, and Mark Banwell, and sitting ALP member Michaela Settle rounding out the rest of the places.

Ripon, which takes in the western fringes of Ballarat, the north of Golden Plains and parts or all of six other municipalities, has nine candidates in the running to represent voters in State parliament.

First on the ballot is Shooters, Fishers & Farmers representative Luke Smith. He’s followed in order by independent Wayne Rigg, Earl James from the Greens, Martha Haylett from the ALP, Wren Wilson of Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party, current Liberal member Louise Staley, Holly Sitters of the AJP, Craig George from Family First, and finally Bernard Quince.

Across Victoria 740 candidates nominated for the lower house, whole 455 rolled the dice on an upper house seat.

Meanwhile, 4.4 million people will be asked to cast a vote as part of the 26 November ballot when rolls closed.

Electoral commissioner Warwick Gately said 50 per cent of eligible voters are expected to make use of early voting options.

“We expect more than half of all Victorian voters to vote early in the two weeks before election day,” he said.

“A list of candidates for each electorate is available on the VEC website and I encourage voters to look up their local candidates ahead of time.”