Sandell nominated the seats of Albert Park, Footscray and Northcote as among her party’s targets at the 2026 state election.
The member for Melbourne was a policy adviser and climate activist before entering parliament.
Former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam arriving at parliament on Tuesday. Credit: Joe Armao
Sandell’s leadership aspirations were backed by federal Greens leader Adam Bandt, according to a well-placed Greens source who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity.
“She was the most stable choice given they couldn’t all agree,” the source said.
Tuesday’s party room vote also appointed Prahran MP Sam Hibbins and first-term upper house MP Sarah Mansfield as deputy co-leaders. Like Sandell, Hibbins was elected to the lower house in 2014.
Ratnam had led the Victorian Greens since October 2017, when she replaced Greg Barber in the Northern Metropolitan electorate, which takes in the federal seat of Wills.
Ellen Sandell arrives at Tuesday’s party room vote.Credit: Joe Armao
The Greens hope their pro-Palestine stance will unite young progressives and conservative Muslim voters to unseat federal Labor MP Peter Khalil.
Khalil’s seat of Wills was held by Bob Hawke when he was prime minister and takes in the progressive enclave of Brunswick, as well as more working-class suburbs like Glenroy and Fawkner.
Ratnam, who campaigned with Bandt in Brunswick in recent days, will remain in parliament until the party holds a ballot to replace her in the Northern Metropolitan region.
Two Greens sources, speaking to The Age on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal party matters, questioned the optics of Ratnam remaining in the upper house for too long while trying to campaign for Wills.
Multiple Greens sources said Ratnam’s replacement would most likely be one of the local Greens councillors from overlapping councils. Merri-bek mayor Adam Pulford and Darebin mayor Susanne Newton have both been touted as strong options.
Both councillors were contacted for comment on Tuesday. Former Wills candidate and surrogacy lawyer Sarah Jefford, whose name has also been touted by party members, said on Tuesday she didn’t intend to run.
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