Candidates set for vote

By Ed Merrison
A TOTAL of 22 candidates will vie for four vacancies in the wards of Dobson, Baird, Chandler and Friberg in November’s Knox City Council elections.
The biggest surprise in the runup to election day on Saturday, 26 November has been the decision by Knox mayor and Baird councillor Jenny Moore not to stand for reelection.
Four candidates, including Knox Reform Coaltionendorsed Jim Penna, are looking to replace Cr Moore in Baird Ward.
The only other present incumbent not standing is councillor Nick Wakeling of Friberg Ward, who departs to focus on his candidacy for the seat of Ferntree Gully in the 2008 State elections.
Eight people will battle it out for the position vacated by Cr Wakeling, including former councillor Cathryn Boyle who was defeated in 2003.
Another former councillor, Amanda Leeper, is one of three candidates taking on councillor Ben Smith for the vacancy in Chandler Ward.
Councillor Karin Orpen of Dobson Ward will have to fight off five challengers in order to retain her seat, including KRCbacked Andrew Higgs, a delegate for the Victorian division of the Liberal Party whose party political future has recently been placed in doubt.
In all, 44 people have nominated as candidates in the elections, competing for a total of nine vacancies in the nine wards that comprise the City of Knox.