A small but enthusiastic group of candidates and possible candidates attended Orange City Council's first female-only information session this year ahead of the September 4 poll.
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Two women who have confirmed they will be running for a seat on the council were among eight people to attend the forum which received information and advice from the Australian Local Government Women's Association.
Mel McDonnel, who will head the Greens ticket at the elections, said it had been helpful.
It was really, really good. I am new to this whole experience
- Sarah Blake, council election candidate
"It was definitely worthwhile," she said.
"The most useful part was definitely [about] the resources online, what organisations are out there, not only for campaigning but for once you are on [council]."
She said more people might have attended if the forum had been 'more widely publicised' by the council.
Ms McDonell said she was still organising her ticket.
"I'm still sussing out people. I haven't been able to get a complete ticket [yet] but there's still plenty of time."
Sarah Blake has confirmed she will be the number two person on a ticket run by Orange business operator Nic Drage.
She said as a first-time candidate she gained a lot from the forum.
"It was really, really good. I am new to this whole experience," she said.
Miss Blake said she would be doing a similar forum in Bathurst to gain as much information as she could ahead of the campaign starting.
She said she had received valuable information about the processes and tips about campaigning.
Miss Blake said the smaller crowd enabled them to ask plenty of questions.
The forum was conducted by a panel including current Orange councillor Joanne McRae, Lithgow councillor and head of the Australian Local Government Women's Association Cass Coleman and former Mosman mayor Denise Wilton.
Council spokesman Allan Reeder said a total of 21 people attended two councillor information sessions, 13 at an open session on Thursday night and eight at the women-only session on Saturday.
"It's a program of sessions that began in 2019, before the election was postponed due to COVID and is still continuing. In total about 78 people have come to an event," he said.
"About 40 people attended the seminar in November 2019. Another 17 people went to a session in March last year. "The fact that 21 people came to last week's events could mean [others] have already attended an information session and they've already found out what they need to know."
Two more sessions are on Thursday April 29 and Saturday May 1.
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