Council Elections

Nominating for Council

Electors who wish to nominate as a candidate, in a local government election, must complete a valid nomination application, and present it to the Returning Officer before nominations close. Prior to nominating, all candidates must complete the online candidate induction from the Department of Local Government, Sport & Cultural Industries website.

Nominations for a local government election open 44 days before polling day, and close at 4.00 pm, 37 days before polling day. Use the Commission’s Nomination Builder to electronically complete the nomination form and candidate profile.

Please refer to the Western Australian Electoral Commission's website for further information. 

Full details about eligibility and nomination procedures for prospective candidates can be obtained by contacting Gail Macnab, the Shire's Returning Officer can be contacted on 0461 386 657. 

Voting

Voting is voluntary in Local Government elections in Western Australia. However, all electors are strongly encouraged to vote.

The Electoral Commissioner is responsible for conducting all local government postal elections in Western Australia and can also conduct voting in person elections on request under the Local Government Act 1995. By making the Electoral Commissioner responsible for these elections, the local governments concerned ensure that elections are conducted independently and with impartiality.

Postal elections are more convenient for many electors and typically result in a higher rate of voter participation than in person ballots.

If the number of candidates is equal to the number of vacancies, the candidate is elected unopposed. If there are more candidates than vacancies, the election will proceed.

For postal elections, all eligible electors will receive a postal voting package around three weeks prior to polling day. The package will include a list of candidates, ballot papers, instructions on how to vote and a declaration. To vote, follow the instructions included in the package.

The Returning Officer must receive your postal voting package before 6.00 pm on polling day. If you do not think that your postal voting package can be returned by post in time, you can deliver it by hand to a polling official.

Declaration of Gifts

Register of Electoral Gifts can be found here.

Local Government (Elections) Regulations 1997

Electoral Gifts

The Local Government Act and Elections Regulations require that gifts made to a candidate for election to Council must be declared.

The Regulations stipulate that –

BOTH candidate and donor must declare the gift 

  • the requirements is on all candidates, regardless of whether or not they are a current councillor
  • gifts from an unidentified source are not permitted
  • gifts of more than $200 must be declared
    • includes the promise of a gift before it is actually received
    • gift is not only financial but includes an item or service
    • the value of a “heavy discount” is considered to be gift
    • if the total value of gifts from one source exceeds $200, all gifts received must be declared
  • exceptions – disclosure is not required if it is:
    • from a relative as defined by the Local Government Act
    • left to you in a will
    • unrelated to the election
    • volunteer labour
  • the disclosure period starts 6 months prior to the election and finishes 3 days afterwards;
  • disclosure of gifts received or promised for an election must be advised in writing to the CEO:
    • within 3 business days of nomination –
    • after nomination, within 3 days of receipt or promise of the gift
  • the Regulations list the mandatory information that is to be notified to the CEO:
    • the CEO is to record the details in an Electoral Gifts Register
    • the Electoral Gifts Register is open to public inspection, but does not have to be placed on the website

Penalties of up to $5,000 apply to some offences.

In effect, if you are interested in nominating as a candidate for the next election, you need to be recording any gifts received for election purposes, as stipulated above.  If you decide not to continue, no disclosure is required.  If you do decide to continue, these early gifts must be disclosed within 3 days of nomination.