Vote 1 Melissa Lowe - Community Independent for the Upper House Donate

Eleven local campaigns, one upper house voice

Southern Metropolitan Region covers eleven lower house districts. Community independents are standing across them, and most of my campaign is spent helping them win.

That sounds generous. It isn't - it's arithmetic. Under the old group voting tickets, a candidate could be dealt into a seat by preference arrangements negotiated between parties. Those tickets are gone. Nobody can deal me into the upper house and nobody can deal me out of it.

What's left is primary votes and the preferences that voters choose for themselves. Eleven local campaigns knocking on doors across this region generate exactly that - and every voter one of those campaigns persuades is a voter who can be asked to number our group in their five above the line.

So when I spend a Saturday in Bentleigh or Oakleigh or Sandringham, I'm not doing someone else a favour. I'm doing the only thing that actually elects an independent to the Legislative Council.

Candidates confirmed so far

Candidates are announced here as each campaign confirms. We publish a candidate's name and their own words only once they've approved it.

What district am I in?

Southern Metropolitan Region covers these 11 districts:

Albert ParkAshwoodBentleighBrightonCaulfieldHawthornKewMalvernOakleighPrahranSandringham

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The definitive answer always comes from the VEC: check your electorate ยท interactive map

The region, district by district

Southern Metropolitan covers 11 districts across Melbourne's inner south and east. Hover or tap a district to see its name.

Boundaries from the Victorian Electoral Commission. For the definitive answer about your own address, check with the VEC.