A total of 67 candidates will contest Brimbank’s first election since the council was sacked by the state government seven years ago.
The large number of candidates include six former Brimbank councillors, including three former mayors. The former councillors are Sam David, Margaret Giudice, Troy Atanasovski, Costas Socratous, Sam Muscat and Stuart Miller.
Other candidates include former Brimbank Citizen of the Year Kim Truong and 18-year-old student Vidhura Ratnasekar.
Fifty five candidates contested the last election held in Brimbank back in 2008.
Candidates Alex Schlotzer, Les Tarczon, Costas Socratous, Trung Luu, Nick Niacalou, Harpeet Walia and Sam Muscat all ran unsuccessfully for the council in 2008.
Brimbank council was sacked in 2009 after a Victorian Ombudsman’s report found the council was dysfunctional and plagued by political and factional allegiances.
It was replaced by administrators.
In 2012, the state government recommended the council remain in administration.
Almost a quarter of all candidates for the October election are women.
The Brimbank council electorate is divided into four wards: Taylors ward (three vacancies, 23 candidates), Grasslands ward (three vacancies, 16 candidates), Harvester ward (three vacancies, 19 candidates) and Horseshoe Bend ward (two vacancies, nine candidates).
In the nearby City of Wyndham, a state record 95 candidates will contest its election.
Brimbank residents will be able to vote from the start of October, with voting packs to be mailed out between October 4 and 6. Ballots must be mailed back by 6pm on October 21, the night before the election.
The election office for Brimbank City Council is located at 12 Hertford Road, Sunshine and is open to the public from 9am to 5pm weekdays.
For more information on the election or candidates visit: www.vec.vic.gov.au
