Next year for election for Narracan

by Keith Anderson
Voters will not go to the polls to elect a new Member or Narracan until next year.
Declaration of the election due to be held on Saturday as "failed" after the death of a candidate on November 20 - after the closure of nominations and during the state election campaign period - has caused considerable confusion among candidates, local party officials and voters.
The latest information from the Victorian Electoral Commission released on Thursday was the date of a "supplementary" election for Narracan cannot be set until after the Governor has received a writ for the declaration of the general election result.
That must happen no later than December 17.
The Governor will then issue a writ for the supplementary election specifying the timetable for it to happen.
Several candidates and party officials spoken to by The Gazette see January 14 or 21 as the earliest possible dates with a February election a possibility.
The death of The Nationals candidate Shaun Gilchrist, one of nine seeking election, one week into the two-week early voting period after several thousand of the 50,506 enrolled voters had already cast their ballots triggered the "failed election".
Early votes lodged for the lower house seat of Narracan were declared void but those cast for the upper house region of Eastern Victoria, that elects five members, were still effective and voters were required to cast ballots.
For the supplementary election in Narracan eligible voters will be those on the district electoral roll at November 8.
The VEC said nominations of the eight remaining candidates in Narracan, after Mr Gilchrist's death, were cancelled and new nominations would be called.
The Gazette is aware of some inquiries made by parties and candidates to the VEC seeking clarification of the process.
Among those queries were whether an unsuccessful candidate in another electorate (Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council) on Saturday could now stand in Narracan's supplementary election.
However, responding to questions from The Gazette last week, the VEC gave the all-clear for unsuccessful candidates on Saturday to stand in Narracan.
"Assuming the person is still qualified to be a candidate there is nothing preventing an unsuccessful candidate at the general election from standing as a candidate in the supplementary election," it stated.
Some queries are also being raised within parties about their own rules regarding nominating candidates for a supplementary election, such as whether a new pre-selection process is required or if they can carry over endorsement of their previous nominations.
The rules may differ from party to party.
Of the eight candidates contesting Narracan when the election for the seat was declared "failed" those The Gazette has been able to contact during the past several days indicate they will more than likely put themselves forward again.
The Liberal Party's Wayne Farnham and Freedom Party's Leonie Blackwell said they would definitely be seeking endorsement by their parties, Independent Tony Wolfe said he would "wait and see" but was leaning towards nominating again and the Australian Labor Party's Justin Seddon said he'd "probably put his hand up" but would need his party to endorse him again as its candidate.
A spokesperson for the Animal Justice Party said its candidate in Narracan, Laura Rees, would likely re-nominate but that "probably depended on timing" (of the election).
The Nationals did not officially respond when asked if it would seek another candidate to replace Mr Gilchrist.
No responses were received to inquiries about the intentions of Casey Murphy (Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party), Alyssa Weaver (Greens) and Hannah Darts (Family First).
With previous nominations discounted by the VEC and new nominations to be called the number of candidates that go to the Narracan election could grow beyond the initial nine.