Local Government Elections 2024
To read candidate statements, please go here for Boroondara; and here for Whitehorse.
Voting in local government elections is compulsory, but have you asked yourself why you should bother to vote in the upcoming local council elections? Do you believe that you know enough about the candidates and that your vote can make a difference? Or do you think that, as long as your rubbish gets taken away and your road repaired, it doesn’t matter who your local councillor is?
As your local newspaper, we see it as part of our responsibility to help keep our community informed on matters that affect their daily lives. We believe the decisions and actions of our local councils influence many aspects of the way we live. At the same time, it is important to Eastsider News that we steadfastly remain independent and non-partisan. As such, we will not promote any individual candidate.
Councils manage huge budgets, supply many essential services, and have access to considerable authority. They choose to pursue a range of priorities that should reflect the priorities of the residents rather than the personal agenda of any particular councillor. The capacity of the people we elect to represent us will determine the quality of the many decisions and actions taken by Council in our name.
Informed voting is important
We at Eastsider News value democracy at the municipal level of government and believe that every vote matters. The more informed that vote is, the more it contributes to good governance and decision making by our local councils.
Once elected, councillors have considerable authority over a wide range of matters including the nature and quality of services provided, the protection of our local environment, support for local business, the provision of local travel and other infrastructure. Councillors are also in a strong position to advocate for change to State and Federal Government policies and programs.
We encourage you to talk to your local candidates and question them about the things that matter to you. Ask them how they will consult with the people they represent and keep you informed of council activities. Question them about their attitude to things that are important to you.
We need high quality and informed candidates to nominate
To ensure that candidates are well informed, they are required, before standing to undertake mandatory candidate training, even if they have been a Councillor before, or are currently a Councillor. The Local Government Act also emphasises importance of integrity, transparency, and accountability, and includes a code of conduct. There is however, no explicit requirement to be transparent about the role of party politics in local government, despite the obvious connections.
Many voters have expressed a wish to know about party affiliations, so Eastsider News has put this question to Candidates.
Key dates: The Victorian Electoral Commission
The following information is an extract of that available on the website of the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). To keep up to date on the relevant dates, please go to their website at: https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2024-local-council-elections
Local council elections will be held in Victoria this October for all councils except Moira Shire Council. All voting in council elections is by post. VEC sends ballot packs to all enrolled voters for you to complete and send back.
Key dates
Wednesday, 7 August 2024: Roll closes at 4 pm
Monday, 9 September 2024: Nominations open at 9 am
Tuesday, 17 September 2024: Nominations, candidate statements, photographs, and questionnaires close at 12 noon
Wednesday, 18 September 2024: Ballot draw
Monday, 7 October 2024: Ballot pack mail out begins
Friday, 25 October 2024: Voting closes at 6 pm
Friday, 1 November 2024: All postal votes must be received by 12 noon
Friday, 15 November 2024: All election results declared
Away during the election?
If you’re going to be away from your enrolled address between Monday 7 October and Friday 25 October, you may still be able to vote in your local council’s election.
Ballot pack replacement
You can ask VEC to send a replacement ballot pack to a new address (including interstate and overseas addresses) if:
- you will be away when ballot packs are mailed (from Monday 7 October)
- your address has changed since the roll closed (Wednesday 7 August).
If you have moved within or out of your council area after the roll closed, you must vote for your old address. If you fail to vote, you risk a fine.
Applications open on Tuesday 15 October. You can also call VEC on 131 832 before 15 October for help with your ballot pack. For more information, go here.
Candidates’ statements
A special edition of Eastsider News will be published early in October to give our readers information about the candidates nominating for Boroondara and Whitehorse. Candidates have been asked to supply a candidate statement and a photograph. They were requested to address 5 questions:
- Which ward are you standing in?
- Why are you standing for Council?
- How will you make a difference?
- What are your key interests or issues?
- Are you a member of a political party, and if so which party?
VEC requires that the statement includes an authorisation including a postal address.
