A whopping 58 grouped or ungrouped candidates have put their hand up to fill the eleven representative positions on MidCoast Council.

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Only one group has exercised the option not to have an “above the line” check box.

The successful councillors will later vote on who among them should be Mayor.

Following is the full list of contenders, based on the position they drew on the ballot paper.

1. GROUP A (Independent): Peter Howard of Forster (group lead), Fabian Clancy of Cundletown, Rebecca Cross of Wallabi Point, Scott Paterson of Old Bar, Roderick Donegan of Forster and Emmerson Hollis of Cundletown.

2. GROUP B (Independent): Thomas O’Keefe of Hawks Nest (group lead), Bruce Murray of Tea Gardens, Jeanette Hart of Hawks Nest, Malcolm Motum of Tea Gardens, Terry Munright of Tea Gardens and Heather Vaughan of Tea Gardens.

3. GROUP C (Independent): Jeremy Miller of Old Bar (group lead), Donna Ballard of Dollys Flat, Bronwyn Sharpe of Red Head, Alexander Lewers of Red Head, Tanya Brown of Taree and Jake Davey of Taree.

4. GROUP D (Labor): Claire Pontin of Red Head (group lead), Digby Wilson of Taree, Nicolle Green of Hallidays Point, Phillip Costa of Minimbah, Michael Burgess of Taree and Mark Vanstone of Forster.

5. GROUP E (Independent): Alan Tickle of Taree (group lead), Nicole Turnbull of Wootton, Carley Burke of Taree, Philip Walkom of Taree, Michael Kent of Diamond Beach and Kylie Turner of Forster.

6. GROUP F (Independent): Emma Mellows of Booral, Veronica Frost of Stroud, Jennifer Lennox of Booral and John Fisher of Booral. This group has opted not to have the “above the line” group voting check box.

7. GROUP G (Libertarian Party) Michael Graham of Mooral Creek (group lead), Phillip Beazley of Smiths Lakes, Hugh (Mal) McKenzie of Langley Vale, Mitchell Wilson of Red Head, John Gazecki of Warranulla and Stuart Cameron of Forster.

8. GROUP H (Independent): Paul Sandilands of Forster (group lead), Mark Stuart Johnson of Rainbow Flat, Jessica Corkill of Coopernook, Sandra Zielke of Bobin, Gilbert Whyte of Black Head and Scott Grant of Taree.

9. GROUP I (The Greens): Dheera Smith of Mondrook (group lead), Janeece Irving of Tinonee, Michael Townsend of Smiths Lake, Jessica Harris of Bulahdelah, Nathan Wales of Wingham and Megan Cooke of Tallwoods Village.

UNGROUPED: There are six ungrouped candidates.

They are Richard Streamer of Hawks Nest, Elizabeth McEntyre of Tea Gardens, Karen Hutchinson of Booral, Stephen Smith of Bulahdelah, John Sahyoun of Bulahdelah and Vivien Panhuber of Tea Gardens.

Voting is compulsory for anyone over eighteen and registered on the electoral roll, and you cannot vote if you are not registered.

You can check if your details are up to date by going to the Australian Electoral Commission website.

By Sue STEPHENSON