The issue of associations between political parties and local council candidates can get a bit muddy.

Conventional wisdom is that voters don't like party politics intruding on local councils. The idea is that community-based candidates appeal to voters, who want their council chambers to produce outcomes, not to be a breeding-ground (or retirement home) for party hacks.

But everybody knows that, even if they're not so up-front about it, a lot of candidates for council will have a past or present association with one of the big parties. Sometimes ratepayers are inclined to call the contenders' bluff. 

Margaret Robinson in the Southern Downs wrote in to us here at Qlddecides.com, detailing the question she'd asked of her local mayoral aspirants:

I have sent an email to all who are going for Mayor and asked: who do they support? Labor or Nat/Lib? I also said that their answer would decide my vote. 

Not one replied. If they had replied, I would have asked the one that I supported who did they want me to vote for on their team.

Well now I will put in a informal vote.

We're sure Margaret won't go so far as to infringe our electoral laws, but she's hopping mad about being ignored.

So, will the Southern Downs candidates disclose any affiliations? We'll keep you posted.