To reduce FOMU during this ACT election campaign (fear of missing updates), our new column TRAIL MIX by “CityNews” political reporter BELINDA STRAHORN will keep you up to date with all the political tidbits in the race to rule the territory.

IN case you have passed out from election fatigue already, five more political parties have registered for the 2020 ACT Legislative Assembly election, and are now eligible to nominate candidates. 

This takes the total number of registered political parties to 16. The parties are the: Animal Justice Party, Australian Climate Change Justice Party, Australian Federation Party Australian Capital Territory, Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch), Belco Party (ACT), Canberra Progressives, David Pollard Independent, Democratic Labour Party (DLP), Liberal Democratic Party, Liberal Party of Australia (ACT Division), Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (ACT), Sustainable Australia (ACT), The ACT Greens, The Canberra Party, The Community Action Party (ACT) and The Flux Party – ACT. It’s now too late for any other political parties to join the race, sorry folks, you’ll have to wait another four years!

DEEPAK-Raj Gupta, the Yerrabi MLA elected on a countback after the shock resignation of senior Labor frontbencher and star performer Meegan Fitzharris, is celebrating his one-year anniversary in the ACT Assembly. The longtime Gungahlin resident, who’s seeking re-election, says he’s enjoyed his first year in office.

He lists advocating for more health and education infrastructure, more parking spots at local shops, a community garden at Throsby and better traffic measures for hot spots in Gungahlin, among some of his achievements. And, of course, his work to push for better recognition of Canberra’s designers, Walter and Marion Burley Griffin, after searching out Walter’s Lucknow (India) grave and arranging for its cleaning and redecoration. Well done, Gupta.

IN other election chatter, Canberra jazz singer Angela Lount has announced she’s running as a candidate in Bill Stefaniak’s Belco Party. The lead Funky Fedora’s vocalist and local businesswoman will join “Belco Bill” and Alan Tutt on the Belco Party ticket, in the northern electorate of Ginninderra. The musician, who’s now dabbling in politics, is a longtime Belconnen resident with family connections dating back to the early days of European settlement in the area.

AND Elections ACT has launched its “Check the Source” campaign targeting fake news and misinformation ahead of October’s ballot. The new awareness-raising campaign encourages voters to check the source of election material to make sure it’s legit. 

Across the border, you may recall, Labor’s Kristy McBain was targeted with emails containing false claims in July’s Eden-Monaro by-election, which resulted in a man being charged.

It’s this kind of misinformation, as an example, the campaign hopes to stamp out.

Trail Mix tidbits to belinda@citynews.com.au