Voting System

First Past The Post
Parliament has passed the Local Government Amendment (Elections) Bill 2009, ensuring a return to the “First past the post” system of voting for the upcoming local government elections on 17 October 2009. View the Minister’s media statement.

Under this system, electors will indicate the candidate, or candidates, of their choice by placing a tick in the box opposite the names of the chosen persons, up to the number of vacancies to be filled.

The result of an election will be determined by counting the number of votes received by each candidate in the count. In cases where there is a single vacancy, the candidate with the most votes will be elected, while in cases where there is more than one vacancy, candidates will be elected in order according to the number of votes received by each.

See also, the Department’s Elections Bulletins.

Voting in Person or Postal Elections
Your local government may run its elections as postal elections or as voting in person elections. Where a voting in person election system is in place, you may apply for a postal vote, absent vote or an early vote if you are not able to go to a polling booth on Election Day.

To find out whether your local government is conducting a Voting In Person Election or a Postal Election, click here.

Returning Officer
The elections conducted in each local government are under the control of a returning officer. The Local Government Act 1995 provides that the council’s Chief Executive Officer is the returning officer for every voting in person election unless the local government decides to appoint another person to perform the function. The Electoral Commissioner appoints returning officers for all postal elections.

More Information
Contact your local government for more information on local government elections.