In Glenelg, the shire’s existing councillors – Robert Halliday, Karen Stephens, Gilbert Wilson, Max Oberlander, Anita Rank, John Northcott and Geoff White – have all nominated for another stint at the council table.

There will be plenty of competition for the seven council vacancies, with a further 12 candidates contesting the October election.

They are Brendan Edgerton, Malcolm Alexander, Chrissy Hawker, Gordon Stokes, Michael Byrne, Deborah Keiller, Mike Noske, Mal Sutherland, Bernie Wilder, Alistair McDonald, Alison Aplin and Wayne Barrett.

The 19 candidates is believed to be a record for Glenelg Shire.

It mirrors large turnouts at Moyne Shire and Warrnambool City Council.

In the Southern Grampians Shire, four of the seven councillors have nominated again.

Paul Battista, Dennis Dawson, Albert Calvano and Katrina Rainsford have declared their intentions to pursue another term on the council.

Peter Dark, Cathy Armstrong and Bruach Colliton have chosen not to seek re-election.

New faces Christopher Cole, Peter Jones, Yvonne Calvano, Ama Cooke, Mary-Ann Brown, Colin Dunkley, Greg McAdam and Chris Sharples have all nominated for a place at the seven-member council table.

Southern Grampians Shire council candidate Colin Dunkley said renewing Hamilton’s CBD would be one of his priorities.

“We need to upgrade Hamilton’s CBD, improve our educational facilities and create a transport hub to get more produce off our roads and onto rail,” he said.

“Our land capability is a real strength and I think we could benefit from making agriculture a focus for our council, working to attract more producers and planning how we use our land.”

Ballot packs will be mailed out to voters between October 4 and October 6.

Voting will close on Friday, October 21 at 6pm. 

Changes to Australia Post handling times mean results timelines could vary and extend compared to the last local government elections in 2012.

Official result declarations will take place any time between October 31 and November 4.