2022
Incorporating
Wednesday, December 6, 2023
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OUR NEW MAYOR
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EAGLES REWRITING BIG GF THE KELLY LEGEND Pages 22-23 VICTORY
Sport
OH CHRISMAS TREE THE Parsons family are carrying on their tradition of wishing passersby a Merry Christmas, this year returning to their haybale tree and three wise men - pictured with Ollie and Ben Parsons. And a reminder that this Friday night, December 8, the Mansfield Community Christmas Carols event with Santa - will be held at the Botanic Park from 4.30pm onwards.
They’re not on a roll Around ou d 4000 000 Mansfield a s e d Shire S e non-resident o es de t ratepayers atepaye s must ust re-enrol e e o for o cou council c elections e ect o s LOCAL Government voter entitlements for Mansfield ratepayers have changed under new State Government laws, with approximately 4000 who will now need to re-enrol. That amounts to between 40 to 50 per cent of the overall number of the shire’s population that will need to be contacted and re-enrolled. Mansfield Shire Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the new provisions introduced by
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BY PAM ZIERK-MAHONEY pzierk-mahoney@ nemedia.com.au
the Victorian Government in the Local Government Act 2020 will require nonresident ratepayers to re-enrol to be able to vote in the council elections in October 2024. “This change may mean that council will need to employ additional staff to ensure that our ratepayers
are properly informed and can re-enrol to vote before the cut-off time for finalisation of the electoral rolls,” Cr Rabie said. “Council will need to write to all of the affected voters advising of the changes to their enrolment, and how they can re-apply for enrolment for the October 2024 Mansfield Shire Council general election, which is undertaken through a postal vote.
“Council will actively encourage all non-resident ratepayers to participate in the upcoming elections by re-enrolling as a councilenrolled voter. “This will ensure that those who own property within the shire can exercise their voting rights and have a say in determining who governs the community. “Council values the engagement of every ratepayer, regardless of
GET READY FOR CHRISTMAS
where they live, in the democratic process. “Although it is currently anticipated that this change will affect over 4000 nonresident ratepayers, the exact number of those affected won’t be known until the second quarter of 2024.” Voters will be directly notified of the need to re-enrol in the first part of next year via email or by post, depending on how they currently receive
communication from council. The VEC changes have been phased in over two general elections, the first was in 2020 and again for 2024. With these changes, entitlement on “who can vote” has now fallen back onto councils and new voting rolls, compiled as council executive officers (CEO) lists, which need to be finalised by September 2, 2024. ■ Continued page 2