THE electorate of Murray Plains remains unchanged in the latest redistribution of electoral boundaries ahead of the state election.
About 21 per cent of voters will be affected by the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) redivision released this week.
Murray Plains, which takes in Swan Hill and Kerang, extends along the Murray River from Undera to Nyah and west to Boort, Ninyeunook and Waitchie.
It has been held by Nationals leader Peter Walsh since the Swan Hill and Rodney electorates were abolished ahead of the 2014 election.
With less than 60 days to go until the November 26 election, Mr Walsh said he expected to face competition for votes from several candidates but no names had been announced.
“I haven’t heard of any yet,” he said.
“Labor will have a candidate, there’s no doubt about that, as will the Greens, and there may be some from the minor parties or the independents.”
Labor will be looking to preselect a new candidate after the death last month of Peter Williams, who contested Murray Plains for the party in 2014 and 2018.
He received 26.05 per cent of the vote to Mr Walsh’s 73.95 per cent in 2018.
A former Campaspe Mayor and founder of the Echuca-Moama Winter Blues Festival, Mr Williams died on August 6 after a battle with cancer.
The first EBC redivision of both Houses of Parliament since 2013 also resulted in changes to the upper house region of Northern Victoria.
Northern Victoria has been extended to include 4124 voters from two other regions, including 2252 from Buckrabanyule, Charlton, Donald, Litchfield and Massey, but has lost 20,592 voters to other regions.
It is held by Labor’s Mark Gepp and Jaclyn Symes, Wendy Lovell (Liberal), Tim Quilty (Liberal Democrats) and Tania Maxwell (Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party).
The changes formally take effect on November 1, when the writs for the election are issued.
Voters can check whether their electorate will change using “Check my enrolment” on the VEC website at vec.vic.gov.au/enrolment/check-my-enrolment
A comparison of new and old boundaries can be viewed on the EBC interactive map at maps.ebc.vic.gov.au
