MORE than 60 people will be vying for one of just nine spots up for grabs on Bathurst Regional Council.
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Wednesday was the last day for people to submit their nominations for the local government election, to be held on Saturday, December 4.
The candidates for the election will be listed on the NSW Electoral Commission website, which was slowly being updated on Wednesday as nominations were accepted.
Based on the information available Wednesday afternoon, there will be at least 10 tickets, each with five candidates, on the ballot paper.
The tickets will be led by Warren Aubin, Ben Fry, Geoff Fry, John Fry, Margaret Hogan, Jess Jennings, Ian North, Nick Packham, Stuart Pearson, and Bob Singleton.
The Western Advocate also understands that Graeme Hanger, Jeff Muir and Robert 'Stumpy' Taylor will also be heading up tickets, but they were not listed as grouped candidates on the Electoral Commission at the time of publication.
This will make for 13 tickets on the ballot paper.
Several candidates were confirmed to be running on their own without the support of a ticket, they being Alex Christian, Stuart Driver, Catherine Strods, and Steve Semmens.
MORE COUNCIL ELECTION NEWS:
- Marg Hogan to lead five-member ticket at Bathurst council election
- John Fry to replace Cathie Hale as lead candidate on Bathurst council election ticket
- Bathurst's Stuart Driver to stand alone in his bid for council
- Ben Fry unveils youth-orientated ticket for a Balanced Bathurst
- Lifelong resident Nick Packham to contest Bathurst council election
- Stuart Pearson names five-person ticket for council election
- Robert "Stumpy" Taylor to lead five-member ticket at Bathurst council election
- Bathurst councillor Jess Jennings unveils cultured five-person ticket
- Bourke's ballot bombshell: Former mayor to run as second fiddle
- Geoff Fry to lead ticket for Bathurst Regional Council election
There were around 40 candidates at the last local government election in 2017, making the field for this the biggest in recent memory
Despite the strong competition, current councillor Graeme Hanger said he's not concerned about the size of the field.
"It doesn't bother me. I know there are people that will support me and that's all I'm worried about, supporting a team of trainee councillors," he said.
Six of the current nine councillors are set to lead tickets, while two councillors, Bobby Bourke and Jacqui Rudge, are positioned as number two on other tickets.
Cr Rudge will be running on Cr Jennings' ticket and Cr Bourke is set to be number two on Mr Muir's ticket after a last-minute change to the running order.
Deputy mayor Monica Morse is the only current councillor not seeking re-election, meaning there will be at least one new face in the chamber next year.
The ballot draw will occur on Thursday morning, which determines what order candidates appear on the ballot paper.
While election day is December 4, all voters are eligible to utilise early voting.
Pre-poll will start on November 22. Applications have already opened for postal voting.
People can also use iVote, the commission's technology-assisted online and telephone voting platform.
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