It’s election time ... for some

Only Darlington Point district residents will be heading to the polls this week for the NSW Local Government elections.

They will vote to elect three councillors to represent the Murrumbidgee ward on Murrumbidgee Council.

All other locals are spared from voting, due to a lack of candidates in the three other voting areas across Murrumbidgee Council and Berrigan Shire.

Four candidates are standing in the Murrumbidgee ward.

Seeking re-election to Murrumbidgee Council are Judith Saxvik and Robert Curphey.

Other candidates are Patrick Brown and Hayley Heath.

The three successful candidates from Murrumbidgee will form a council with the six councillors automatically elected in the Jerilderie and Murrumbidgee East (centred on Coleambally) wards.

All are returning councillors.

Existing Mayor Ruth McRae, Faith Bryce and Troy Mauger were the only nominees for the Jerilderie ward.

Similarly, Christine Chirgwin, Timothy Strachan and Robert Black were the only candidates for Murrumbidgee East.

In Berrigan Shire, only seven candidates were registered to fill the eight-person council.

All candidates are therefore automatically elected, and will take up their positions after Saturday.

Three of the elected representatives will be returning to the council chamber - current Mayor Julia Cornwell McKean, former mayor Matthew Hannan and Renee Pain.

Councillors Carly Marriott, Ted Hatty, Sarah McNaught, Roger Reynoldson and John Taylor all chose to resign at this election.

The four new councillors joining the council are Catherine Healy, Renee Brooker, John Stringer and Kate Ngatokoa.

The councillors will be inducted after this weekend, and will operate as a seven-member council until a by-election can be held.

The date for the by-election was announced for Saturday, November 23 by the NSW Electoral Commission last week.

Berrigan Shire is one of 14 councils across NSW who did not meet the requirements to proceed to the scheduled election this Saturday.

Nominations for by-election candidates will open on October 14, and will close on October 23.

It will be compulsory for Berrigan Shire residents to vote in the by-election.