The Victorian Electoral Commission said postal votes will still be received up until noon on Friday but added all council elections across the state would definitely be declared by Friday, November 4.

Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins said because Ballarat had opted for postal voting – like most councils across Victoria – it could take several days to count the ballot papers.

“It’s for allowing all the ballot papers to come in,” Ms Hutchins said.

“We want to ensure we’re not cutting anyone off. We don’t want a quick result, we want to make sure all the results get counted.”

Postal voting in Ballarat’s three wards closed off at 6pm on Friday.

In the north ward, current councillors Vicki Coltman, John Philips and Amy Johnson face opposition from six other candidates including Jeni Eastwood, Rob Edward Smith, Pauline Fay, Grant Tillett, Daniel Moloney and Angus McAlpine.

The mostly hotly contested ward is south ward with incumbents Peter Innes, Jim Rinaldi and mayor Des Hudson facing off against Tim Powell, Nick Shady, Ben Taylor, Brian Pola, Merle Hathaway, Tony Goodfellow, Dianne Colbert, Koby Bunney and David Armstrong. 

In central ward, sitting councillors Belinda Coates, Samantha McIntosh and Glen Crompton only have four rivals in Will Bennett, Gary Fitzgerald, Ron Egeberg and Mark Harris.

Two former councillors have re-entered the fray in ex-mayor Mark Harris and Ben Taylor while the Greens Party have run three candidates in Belinda Coates, Angus McAlpine and Tony Goodfellow.

Only six of Victoria’s 79 councils opted for attendance elections, including Banyule City Council, Greater Dandenong City Council, Knox City Council, Moreland City Council, Port Phillip City Council and Yarra City Council.

However, there will be no election at Greater Geelong City Council as administrators have been appointed.