AS BALLOT papers are mailed to homes throughout the district, talk of alliances is rife among candidates in the Central Ward heading into this month’s local government elections.
With voting ballots due to hit homes in the Swan Hill region this week, and preferences already declared in advance, The Guardian spoke with candidates about their choices and how they were made.
Pairs have become apparent within the candidates, with each Central Ward nominee trading their second preference with another.
Donna Salathiel and Cr Greg Cruickshank, Cr Bill Croft and Lindsay Rogers, Cr Yvonne Jennings and Michael Adamson, Bill Moar and Jim Crowe, and Jessie Kiley and Lawrence Moser have all made such a pair.
Third and fourth preferences split the candidates largely into two separate groups, the first faction with Salathiel, Cruickshank, Jennings and Adamson; the other with Crowe, Kiley, Moser and Moar. Rogers and Croft appear not to be aligned with either group.
Most candidates said they formed preferences with other candidates based on shared ideals and values but would act independently on council.
Candidate Lindsay Rogers said another candidate, he declined to name, had misled him in discussions about preferences.
“I was disappointed at how they came out, I did believe they were going to come out different,” Mr Rogers said.
“I believe when you shake someone’s hand, that’s as good as going to the bank, but unfortunately our morals and standing have apparently shifted over the years.”
The former councillor said when he did not recognise some names on the nominees list, he called them and didn’t get a call back, which he said was also disappointing.
“If I get elected I can put this behind me and do the best damn job I can to represent the people and improve our town.”
Cr Greg Cruickshank said elections brought out the divisive elements in democracy and advised voters to look at “the alternatives”.
“People have got to realise what elections bring out, the selfish component. You’re trying to get yourself elected.
“But when you get on council it’s about teamwork.”
He said himself, Salathiel, Jennings and Adamson had not formed their own ‘ticket’ after largely giving each other their first four preferences.
Meanwhile, incumbent Yvonne Jennings has been listed last on other candidates’ preferences more than anyone, an honour she said she was “delighted” with, as it showed she was “a threat”.
“I’m delighted because it shows that people see me as more likely to get [elected] than others,” Cr Jennings.
The candidates said preferences were an indication of how they would vote, and encouraged voters to select their own.
In the proportional counting method, candidates in the Central Ward must win a quota of the total votes to be elected.
When a candidate receives more votes than the quota, the candidate’s surplus votes are transferred to the remaining candidates according to the preferences on the ballot papers.
If there are still vacancies to fill once the surplus votes have been distributed, the candidate with the lowest number of votes is excluded.
The excluded candidate’s ballot papers are then transferred to the remaining candidates according to preferences.
As there are only two candidates in the Murray-Mallee and Robinvale Wards, candidates have not allocated preferences.
In the Lakes Ward, candidates McPhee, Lahy and Fox have chosen not to allocate preferences. Only Allen Ridgeway has put forward his preferences with Fox second, Lahy third and McPhee last.
Don’t forget to attend The Guardian’s live election forum at Rio Vista Receptions, beginning at 7.30pm on Wednesday, October 17.
