Council elections are coming soon

VOTERS and candidates alike are preparing for local council elections to be held across Victoria, including in the Surf Coast Shire, the City of Greater Geelong, the Borough of Queenscliffe and the Colac Otway Shire.

Voting in this election is by post only, with ballot packs to be sent out from early October.

If you are enrolled, you must vote, as voting is compulsory. If you do not vote, you may receive a fine.

According to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), a large majority of the state’s population does follow the rules, with an average voter turnout rate of 81.47 per cent in the 2020 local council elections and an average informality rate of only 4.76 per cent.

The first major date on the election calendar is already over, with the electoral roll officially closing on Wednesday last week.

This means anyone who has not yet enrolled or updated their enrolment can no longer do so, but people on the roll who have changed addresses since the deadline passed can request the VEC to redirect their ballot pack.

Coming important dates in the 2024 council election:

September 9 – Nominations for candidates open at 9am

September 17 – Deadline for nominations, candidate statements, photographs, and questionnaires to the VEC close at noon

September 18 – Ballot draw for candidates

October 7 – Ballot pack mailout begins

October 25 – Voting closes at 6 pm

November 1 – All postal votes must be received by noon

November 15 – All results declared.

Parts of the Geelong region will experience significant changes during this election, with the City of Greater Geelong changing to 11 wards (up from four) with one councillor each and the Surf Coast Shire changing to three wards (down from four) with three councillors each.

The Borough of Queenscliffe and Colac Otway Shire are remaining unsubdivided, with five and seven councillors representing the entirety of the respective municipalities.

For more information on both voters and candidates, head to the VEC’s website at vec.vic.gov.au