Candidates slow to put their hands up

With a little over a week until nominations close, only three candidates have so far put their hands up to contest Moreton Bay City Council divisions covering the Redcliffe Peninsula.

Residents will head to the polls on March 16 for the council elections.

Nominations for mayoral and divisional councillor candidates opened on January 29 and will close on February 13. The ballot paper order draw will happen the next day.

Moreton Bay City Council divisions covering the Redcliffe Peninsula are Divisions 5 and 6. Residents must vote for a candidate in the division where they live, and vote for a mayoral candidate.

As at 8am, February 5, just three candidates have nominated for divisions covering the Redcliffe Peninsula.

In Division 5, incumbent Sandra Ruck has declared she will run again. Her only opponent at this stage is Garry Ohlson.

In Division 6, incumbent Karl Winchester is so far the only candidate to nominate.

The council is now in ‘caretaker mode’, preventing any major policy decisions from being made until the new council is sworn in.

The electoral roll closed on February 5 for new voters.

Registered voters wanting to vote by post have until March 4 to apply. Early voting begins on the same date and will continue until March 15, the day before the election.

Polling booths will be open across the City of Moreton Bay on election day, March 16, from 8am-6pm.

The return of postal votes closes on March 26.