Shire of Gnowangerup faces special ballot as three candidates nominated for four seats in council election

The Shire of Gnowangerup will need an extraordinary ballot in March to fill the remaining vacancy on its council because only three candidates nominated for four spots in the local elections.

Incumbents Rebecca Kiddle, Rebecca O’Meehan and Peter Callaghan were elected unopposed with the shire having to ask the WA Electoral Commission to run a second vote next year.

Gnowangerup was one of 10 shires in WA to field insufficient candidates, according to the WAEC.

Shire president Kate O’Keeffe said she hoped to attract quality candidates next time and said people should not think being a councillor was only for the older generation.

However, she accepted many local people volunteered their time for a host of organisations already.

“We need to get away from the mindset that local government is just for older people,” she said.

“It’s not for personal gain, it’s for giving back and I can understand that if you’re already on the netball committee, the football committee and the P&C, you wouldn’t want to add to a busy schedule.

“We also have three organisations in the shire which already do incredible work — GNP360, the Borden group and Ongerup Community Development — and I would love for some of their people to come on board.

“They are community-minded, motivated and see the bigger picture.

“It would be really great if they would stand for the council and apply their skills to the whole shire.

“As someone who procrastinated for 15 years myself, I would say it’s really worthwhile, and something that is especially good to do while your children are in the community.”