Enrolling for local council elections

Maria was born in Australia to Australian parents and has lived in Council A all her life. She turned 18 in 2021 and enrolled to vote. Maria must vote in any local council elections and by-elections for Council A, just as she would in any state or federal elections.

You can enrol, check, or update your enrolment online:

Check my enrolment

• Nick has worked hard as a brickie from 1960 and now that he's retired, owns 2 houses in Council A (one to rent out and one to live in) and an apartment in Council B, which he rents out. Nick must vote for the address he lives at in Council A, as he would for state or federal elections. Nick doesn’t get a second vote for the house he rents out in Council A, but he can apply to enrol for Council B because he is the owner and he pays the rates for the apartment. If Nick chooses to enrol, he must vote in all Council B elections.
• Aaron, Bethany, Chris and Declan are siblings who inherited a beach house in Council E when their mother passed away. Although all 4 are joint owners and are listed on the rates notice, Council E can only enrol 2 owners. Chris and Declan applied to council to enrol on 25 July, and their applications were accepted. Bethany feels a very close connection to the area after spending many summers there as a child, so she submitted an application on 1 August. Council E rejected Bethany’s application as there were already 2 owners enrolled to vote for the property. Bethany asked Declan to resign his enrolment so she could vote instead. Declan agreed, and filled in a council form to resign his enrolment. After council accepted Declan’s resignation, Bethany was able to apply to enrol.
• Raj and Lakshmi moved from India to Australia in 2022 and bought a fixer-upper in Council B, for which they pay rates. Although they love Australia, they don’t yet qualify for citizenship. They have 2 children and care deeply about their community, so they applied to enrol for Council B, and their applications were accepted. Raj and Lakshmi must vote in any election or by-election for Council B, but they cannot vote in state or federal elections until they become Australian citizens and enrol.
• Ali lives in Council A. They own investment properties in Council B, Council C, and Council D. They have sent enrolment applications to the 3 councils they own investment properties in, so they can have a say in these communities. At local council general elections, they will receive 4 ballot packs – one for their state enrolment (Council A), plus 3 for their 3 council enrolments (Councils B, C, and D). Ali must complete and return all 4 ballot packs or risk receiving a fine in each council they did not vote in.

In previous elections, property owners who didn’t live in the area would be automatically enrolled. 

Now, you must apply if you want to vote in future local council elections and by-elections.

Contact your council to check if you are on the roll or to enrol for future elections.

Gillian and Thibaut rent an old milk bar across the road from a train station in Council D, which they converted into a French bakery. Business is going great, as their croissants and coffee are a hit with morning commuters. Gillian and Thibaut’s lease requires them to pay the rates for the property. They apply to enrol for Council D as occupiers so they could have a say on issues such as street lighting and car parking around their business. Once enrolled, Gillian and Thibaut must vote at the 2024 local council general election and for any by-elections in Council D after 2024.

In previous local council general elections it was not compulsory to vote. 

Now, you must vote if you are on the roll, or you may get a fine for any by-elections held between now and the next local council general election in 2028.

Contact your council to check if you are on the roll or to enrol for future elections.

Benita is the company secretary of Widget Corp. At its most recent quarterly board meeting, it was unanimously agreed that she should be appointed to represent Widget Corp’s business interests and vote in Council D elections. Benita agreed and applied to Council D. As she is a state-enrolled voter for Council E and is not a representative for another corporation in Council D, the council accepted her application to vote for Widget Corp.

Council D would have to revoke Benita’s appointment if she moves and becomes a state-enrolled voter for Council D, becomes eligible to be a council-enrolled voter for Council D or ceases to be the company secretary or a director. Benita can resign her appointment.

In previous local council general elections, it was not compulsory for corporate representatives to vote.

Now, you must vote if you are enrolled or you may get a fine for any by-elections held between now and the next local council general election in 2028.

Contact your council to check if you are on the roll or to enrol for future elections.

There has been no change to who is required to or can enrol to vote in Melbourne City Council elections.

Contact Melbourne City Council to check if you are on the roll or to enrol for future elections.

• Sarah lives in Council A. In 2023 she purchased an apartment in Ward 1 of Council B that she rents out to tenants. Sarah wants to nominate for election in Ward 1 of Council B. She contacts Council B in April to be added to the council’s voters list and is successfully enrolled. She nominates to be a candidate for the October local council elections in Council B. She cannot nominate for Council A at the same time. Sarah is enrolled as an owner ratepayer in Council B.
• Thuy lives in Council B and rents a shopfront in Council C that she runs a clothing store from. Thuy's lease requires her to pay rates to the council. Thuy has also been a councillor in Council C for the past 3 years. She wants to nominate for election again. Thuy must contact Council C to re-enrol. Thuy is re-enrolled with Council C as an occupier ratepayer.
• Reggie is the director of a company, Peach Industry Enterprises, that owns the building it operates out of in Council D. The company’s board has some ideas about how things in Council D could be improved for the local business community. The board decides that Reggie is the best person to be enrolled on behalf of the company. Reggie calls Council D to ask about council enrolment. Council D sends him the application form to become a corporate representative. However, Reggie lives in Council D, so he is on the state roll for this council already. A person can only be enrolled once for a council, so his application to be the corporate representative is denied. The board looks for another person to be its representative. Charlie, the company secretary, does not live in Council D. Charlie fills in the form, and is enrolled as the corporate representative in Council D for Peach Industry Enterprises. Charlie then nominates to be a councillor in October 2024.

Voters who were previously on the council roll will need to re-enrol to nominate in that council. If you meet the council enrolment criteria, contact the council directly to apply.

Voting is now compulsory for everyone on the council roll, including enrolled owner ratepayers, occupier ratepayers, and corporate representatives. If you do not vote in all councils you are enrolled in, you may get a fine.

If you are on the council roll, nomination eligibility requirements still apply. Learn more about eligibility.

Contact your council to check if you are on the roll or to enrol for future elections.