How to vote in the 2024 Victorian council elections

The news

This month, Victorians are voting in council elections for local candidates who will represent them for the next four years.

As of this year, all metropolitan councils – except for the City of Melbourne – shift to single-member wards, which means that most Melburnians will be voting for a single councillor to represent their section of the community (their ward). Voters can check which ward they reside in on the VEC website.

There will be no sausage sizzles at primary schools for this election, with the 2024 council elections conducted entirely by post for the second time.

Voters will begin receiving voting packs, which include ballot papers and candidate statements, in the mail from the week beginning October 7.

How we got here

In the past, Victorian councils had the choice of whether to conduct elections in person or by post, with a trend towards postal voting over time.

But during the pandemic, the then-local government minister made postal voting uniform and mandatory across all council areas, and the system remains in place – unlike in NSW, where voters turn out at booths to vote.

Voter participation in the 2020 local council elections – the first to be fully conducted by post – was 81.5 per cent, but occurred during a lockdown.

This year, other factors may contribute to participation – including the removal of automatic registration for all non-resident owner-ratepayers, and compulsory voting for anyone enrolled.

Why it matters

Councils do more than just manage rubbish, rates and roads.

They are Victoria’s third tier of government and make decisions that impact daily life, from planning approvals and pets, to public infrastructure such as libraries, parks, gyms and swimming pools.

Voting is compulsory for everyone over the age of 18 on the state electoral roll.

Renters who do not pay rates are also required to vote along with council-enrolled ratepayers.

Failure to vote may result in a $99 fine.

What you need to know

Your guide to voting in the Victorian council elections.

City of Melbourne

Voting in the City of Melbourne is different to other councils, with voters electing a lord mayor and deputy mayor, as well as councillors.

In the City of Melbourne, businesses have two votes, while residents only get one vote.

Here are the lord mayoral candidates and what they say about major issues.

What they said

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Electoral Commission said council elections gave voters the opportunity to vote for the candidates they believed would best serve their suburb and surrounds.

What’s next

Voters will begin receiving voting packs in the mail from next week.

Your completed ballot papers must be posted or hand-delivered to your election office by 6pm on Friday, October 25, to be counted.

The results will be announced as they are tallied, at the latest by Friday, November 15.

If you have not received a ballot pack by Tuesday 15 October, you can apply for a replacement vote through the VEC website, or by calling 131 832.

By the numbers

There are 79 councils in Victoria.

Of those, 78 councils are up for general election in October, with the exception of Moira in the state’s north, which was placed into administration last year and will instead hold its next election in 2028.

More reading

From bike lanes to business help, what the lord mayor candidates promise for Melbourne

The innocuous vote that exposed the murky world of council donations

An entire Victorian council just got elected without a single vote cast

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