Northern Grampians Council elections for 2020 have been decided, formalities and by-election to follow

It was revealed on Tuesday - the day nominations closed - that all positions, excluding the South West ward, had been uncontested.

The South West ward did not receive any nominations and a by-election will be held at a future date to fill the vacancy.

Northern Grampians Shire chief executive Liana Thompson said in almost 30 years in local government, she had never seen a council election "quite like this".

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"This is my first experience of an election like this," she said.

"I'm used to elections that are hotly contested.

"Elections here haven't been hotly contested and you can ask: What does that mean? "It could just mean that people are comfortable? Maybe they don't know what council does? "Perhaps it's the lack of understand of the role of a councillor."

Ms Thompson said she believed there was a real positive feeling about the team of councillors within the Northern Grampians.

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"They've been good representatives and good community people," she said.

"Residents are obviously not clambering to chuck people out. I think that goes to the community focused nature of the current councillors.

"They are divine to work with."

On Tuesday, one hour before nominations closed, late changes were made to the nominations.

Karen Hyslop who previously held a position on the Stawell ward and had nominated for the Stawell ward in 2020 nominated in Kara Kara.

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Tony Driscoll, who previously held a position on Kara Kara ward, nominated for the Kara Kara ward one hour before the cut off.

The following candidates have been successful and will be declared elected on or just after October 23, when postal voting closes;

Central ward: Kevin Erwin

Kara Kara ward: Tony Driscoll and Karen Hyslop

Stawell ward: Lauren Dempsey, Rob Haswell and Murray Emerson.

Ms Thompson said the late changes on Tuesday had saved the shire from having an election and two by-elections, with only one by-election to be held at a later date.

"It has saved ratepayers quite a lot of money," she said.

"I don't have a quote yet - but it's probably saved us around $80,000 to $90,00.

"That's a significant saving for our community and we could do with every penny."

Ms Thompson said the new Northern Grampians Shire Council would be inducted with a focus on the new local government act.

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"The new local government act is completely different from the old one," she said.

"It's about getting that base in and then starting to build the culture of the councillor team.

"We're going to have Lauren Dempsey and a new person in the South West ward, so already we've got a different energy.

"That team needs to come together and form its own crew.

"It's like when we get a new team member at work. We all have to make a bit of space for the new person to flourish and all of us to move forward.

"I'm terribly excited and I know the councillors are too.

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"Even though people get elected to wards, under the local government act every councillor is required to make decisions in the best interest of the municipality - it's never in the interests of just their ward.

"Even though that may look the case, first and foremost they are a councillor of Northern Grampians Shire, not the ward first."

Ms Thompson said the current councillors would be in place during the election period.

"The candidates are elected, we know who they are, they will be installed as soon as the election is declared by the Victorian Electoral Commission," she said.

"I will look to swear them in as soon as I can. Then we'll be kicking off with the new council at that point of time."

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