OUSTED councillors did not attend Friday’s poll declaration in Wedderburn.
Instead, Wendy Murphy and Linda Jungwirth took to social media to make farewell statements and congratulate the victors.
Mrs Murphy, said: “The votes didn’t go my way this time around.
“Those who can’t control the way you think will try and control the way others think about you,” she said.
Ms Jungwirth said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the amazing community members and groups who worked so closely with me for the benefit of the Tarnagulla Ward and the shire as a whole. We made a great team.”
Both were contacted by the Loddon Herald after the release of election results for reaction and reflections on their four years as councillors.
They were elected at the 2020 election during COVID restrictions. 
Mrs Murphy had defeated long-time councillor Colleen Condliffe on preferences by 43 votes after securing 38.82 per cent of the primary votes.
In last month’s postal vote election, Mrs Murphy had 35.94 per cent of the primary vote but new councillor Miki Wilson received more than two-thirds of Mrs Condliffe’s preferences.
In Tarnagulla Ward, Ms Jungwirth’s share of primary votes dropped eight per cent compared with 2020.
Those votes mostly went to challengers Carly Noble and Charmain Sheppard. New councillor Nick Angelo took a similar share of the vote compared with his first attempt to win the ward four years ago. While Ms Jungwirth picked up almost 43 per cent of Ms Shepherd’s preferences, more than 59 per cent of preferences flowed to Mr Angelo when Ms Noble was excluded.