After a four year wait, it's election day in Dubbo.
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On Saturday the Daily Liberal went around to a number of polling locations and spoke with a few residents who had voted, asking them their thoughts on the Dubbo Regional Council election.
Annette and James Holden were spotted heading in to vote at Dubbo North Public and told the Daily Liberal it was important the people running for council were doing it for the local area, and not for politics.
"Once upon a time the people standing for council were there for the people, now it's all [preferred parties]," Mr Holden said.
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"We want to vote for someone that's here for Dubbo, not worrying about particular political parties," Mrs Holden said.
Chris Bateman just moved to town and voted for the first time in the Dubbo Regional Council elections. He said someone independent, local and business-minded was important in a candidate.
"I hadn't seen a lot of campaigning, but what I did see was a lot of in-fighting going on so I was trying to steer away from people on council before," he said.
Pam Harris said honesty was an important quality for a council.
"I hope we get a really good council, people who will listen to the little man," she said.
While Helen Walsh headed to the polls knowing who she was voting for, she said it was important for council to focus on what they were elected to do.
"I want to see money on roads, water, sewerage, the things they were elected, all of this cultural business to me isn't council business," she said.
"The rates are too expensive, that's my opinion. Because we're paying for too many things that aren't council business."
Resident Susan Culkin agreed.
"To better the place and work at it. Get buildings going, roads fixed, things like that," she said.
One resident, Brian Burns was also concerned if his address was updated on the electoral roll.
"To be honest I was wondering has my address changed yet, and of course it wasn't which made it longer," he said.
But Mr Burns did say he hoped to see a fresh start on council with new faces.
"Listening to the news for the last six months or more made me think maybe we should sack the councillors and get new people. There's too much in-fighting," he said.
"And when they elect new faces they should get somebody up from the government to train them on what to do to be a councillor, that's what I reckon."
Mr Burns' wife, Jane Burns said she hoped to see new faces on council, who were committed to helping the community get back on its feet, particularly those who had lost jobs or were suffering from the COVID-19 situation.
"I didn't know which way to go, I was listening to the radio because I knew [the elections] were coming up ... but sorry they all sounded like a bunch of old nitty bitties," she said.
"I just couldn't get the gist, so I thought I'm going to do something different this time and choose somebody else."