A FORMER mayor, four years out of the council arena is among 19 candidates who have put their hand up for the upcoming election in the Hepburn Shire.
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Bill McClenaghan is among the candidates in what looks a most wide-open field to sit on the Hepburn Shire council.
Mr McClenaghan has twice been mayor and sat on council for 11 years from 2005 to 2016.
He is one of four candidates vying for the one seat in Holcombe Ward which includes the 2020 deputy mayor John Cottrell alongside Daniel McMillan and Juliet Simpson.
Mr McClenaghan says in his notes available on the VEC website that his goal is to see "council and community working together to create the best place to live, work and retire in Australia, An efficient, well managed and led council delivering quality outcomes for all".
It looks like a fascinating race across much of the shire with a further six candidates sitting for two positions in Birch Ward.
Current councillor Fiona Robson is standing again, but fellow councillor Kate Redwood is not, leaving at the very least one new representative for the ward which will be fought out between Celia Waldron, Leslie Hewitt, Jen Bray, Gary Carter and Anne E Stewart.
Three people will vie for a position as Cameron Ward's representative with the seat being vacated by Neil Newitt.
The three fighting it out are Tessa Halliday, Dorothy Russell and Nicholas Ayres-Wearne.
Coliban Ward also sees three nominees including 2020 mayor Licia Kokocinski, alongside Brian Hood and Ethan Brown.
Creswick voters will have a choice between sitting councillor Don Henderson and nominees Stuart Jonas and Tim Drylie to fill the two positions available in that ward.
Nomination forms have been sent to households across the shire this week, with all ballot papers to be returned by close of business on Friday October 23.
Voting is compulsory in all Australia elections and residents can be fined if they choose not to vote without a valid reason.
For full candidate details and more voting information, head to vec.gov.au
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