Greater Bendigo City Council Lockwood Ward by-election

We're holding a by-election in Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward in October after the death of Councillor Donna Nicholas.

Candidate nominations are open until 12 pm on Tuesday 25 August.

Find candidates

Voting

Voting in this by-election is by post. We have sent ballot packs to enrolled voters.

My ballot is lost, damaged or missing

To get a replacement ballot pack, you can:

Election office details:

  • Address: 36 Torrens Street, Marong
  • Phone: 131 832

I'm away or have changed address

To discuss your options, you can call us on:

If you moved within or out of Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward since the close of roll on Wednesday 22 July you must vote or risk a fine.

If you're away from Victoria and can't access your mail, keep evidence of your travel. We may send you an 'Apparent failure to vote notice' in the coming months. This is your opportunity to explain why you couldn't vote.

This notice is not a fine.

How to vote

Follow the instructions in your ballot pack to complete your vote. Visit our How to fill in a council ballot paper page if you're not sure what to do.

Before 6 pm on Friday 2 October you must:

  • make sure your vote is in the mail
    or
  • drop it off at the election office.

Get your vote in the post as soon as possible to make sure it arrives in time to be counted. If you don't vote, we may send you a fine.

Who will vote?

You must vote if you were enrolled in Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward at 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July.

If you don't vote, we may send you a fine.

Check if you're enrolled

Large print or braille ballot packs

If you are blind or have low vision, you can register to get your ballot pack in large print or braille.

Registrations for this by-election are closed.

You can register any time for future elections. Contact us on:

Candidates

Nominations are now closed. We cannot accept late nominations.

Find candidates

Campaign donations

By law, council by-election candidates must disclose donations and gifts they receive in the lead up to a by-election.

For more information, visit the Local Government Inspectorate.

More information

To learn about the nominations process you can:

Enrolment

The deadline to enrol this by-election was 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July.

Am I enrolled?

If you are a state-enrolled voter in Lockwood Ward, you must vote.

Check my enrolment

If you are a council-enrolled voter in Lockwood Ward, you must vote.

Contact Greater Bendigo City Council on 1300 002 642 to check if you're a council-enrolled voter.

My ballot pack is lost or damaged

Call us on 131 832 for a replacement if:

  • you've lost your ballot pack
  • your ballot pack is damaged and unusable.

I'm away or have changed address

We can send a replacement ballot pack to a different address if: 

  • you'll be away when ballot packs are posted from Monday14 September
  • your mailing address has changed since the roll closed on Wednesday 22 July.

If you moved within or out of Lockwood Ward since the close of roll you must vote or risk a fine.

Call us on 131 832 if you need a replacement ballot pack, or +613 8620 1100 if you're outside of Victoria. 

Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward by-election

  • Close of roll notice - published 10 July

    You must be enrolled to vote

    A by-election for Lockwood Ward in Greater Bendigo City Council will be held in October. To be able to vote in the by-election, you must be enrolled by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026. Two categories of voters can be enrolled to vote in the Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward by-election: state-enrolled voters and council-enrolled voters.

    State-enrolled voters

    Am I enrolled to vote?

    You are automatically enrolled for this by-election if:

    • you will be 18 years of age or over on Saturday 3 October 2026 and
    • you live in Lockwood Ward and
    • you are on the state electoral roll for your current address.

    You need to enrol if:

    • you are an Australian citizen aged 18 or over on Saturday 3 October 2026 and
    • you live in Lockwood Ward and you are not on the state electoral roll or
    • you have lived at your current residential address in Lockwood Ward for at least a month and have not yet updated your enrolment details, including any changes to your postal address.

    How do I enrol?

    You can enrol online at vec.vic.gov.au. You can also download an enrolment form from the website.

    All enrolment applications must be received by the Victorian Electoral Commission by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026.

    How can I check my state enrolment?

    You can check your enrolment details online at vec.vic.gov.au, or call 131 832.

    Council-enrolled voters

    Am I enrolled to vote?

    To be a council-enrolled voter, you must be:

    • a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation
    • 18 years of age or over on Saturday 3 October 2026 and
    • not a state-enrolled voter within the City of Greater Bendigo.

    You are automatically enrolled for this by-election if you were enrolled as either an owner ratepayer, occupier ratepayer, or director or company secretary of a corporation for Lockwood Ward at the 2024 local government general election.

    If your circumstances have changed since the 2024 local government general election and you are no longer either an owner ratepayer, occupier ratepayer, or director or company secretary of a corporation of that property, you will not be automatically enrolled for this by-election.

    Who else can enrol and vote?

    You may also apply to enrol if:

    • you have purchased a rateable property in Lockwood Ward since the 2024 local government general election but you are not a resident of the City of Greater Bendigo or
    • you are not an Australian citizen and you live in, and pay rates for, a property in Lockwood Ward or
    • you pay rates on a property you occupy in Lockwood Ward and have no other voting entitlement within the City of Greater Bendigo, for example you are a shop tenant and pay rates to Greater Bendigo City Council for your tenancy, and you have no other voting entitlement within the City of Greater Bendigo or
    • you are a director or company secretary of a corporation in Lockwood Ward that pays rates to Greater Bendigo City Council, and you have no other voting entitlement within the City of Greater Bendigo.

    How do I apply to be a council-enrolled voter?

    If you meet any of the above-mentioned criteria and want to enrol, contact Bendigo City Council 1300 002 642 for a council enrolment form. The council must receive enrolment forms by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026.

    How can I check if I am council-enrolled?

    You can check your enrolment details by contacting the council on 1300 002 642.

    Thinking about standing for election?

    To nominate as a candidate for Greater Bendigo City Council, you must:

    • be an Australian citizen and enrolled on the voters roll for Greater Bendigo City Council and
    • be eligible to become a councillor should you be elected and
    • have completed the mandatory candidate training before lodging your nomination with the election manager.

    For further information, visit vec.vic.gov.au.

    Enrolment closes 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026.

    State-enrolled voters can register for free VoterAlert SMS and email reminders at vec.vic.gov.au

  • Notice of election - published 4 August 2026

    Vote by post by Friday 2 October

    Voting

    Ballot packs will be mailed to voters enrolled in the Greater Bendigo City Council, Lockwood Ward by-election from Monday 14 September 2026. Return your completed ballot material by mail ASAP or hand deliver it to the election manager by the close of voting at 6 pm on Friday 2 October 2026.   

    If you will be away

    If you will be away during the voting period (Monday 14 September 2026 to Friday 2 October 2026), or your address has changed since Wednesday 22 July 2026, you can request your ballot pack to be redirected by completing an online redirection form at vec.vic.gov.au/redirections, or call 131 832.

    Please include the address for redirection. Each voter requesting redirection must sign their request. Requests for redirection must be received by Monday 17 August 2026. 

    Alternatively, you can go to the election office to vote in person, from 10 am on Wednesday 26 August 2026. The Greater Bendigo City Council election office is at:

    36 Torrens Street

    Marong

    Large print and braille ballot papers

    Large print or braille ballot papers are available for voters who are blind or have low vision - please register by 5 pm on Tuesday 18 August 2026. To register, call 038620 1314 during business hours. 

    How to nominate as a candidate 

    To nominate as a candidate, you must:  

    • be an Australian citizen and enrolled on the voters roll for Greater Bendigo City Council and
    • be eligible to become a councillor should you be elected and
    • have completed the mandatory candidate training before lodging your nomination with the election manager.

    To nominate, complete the nomination form and lodge it with the election manager together with the $250 nomination fee. Nomination forms can be lodged by appointment during business hours from Monday 17 August 2026 until 12 noon on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at the election office. 

    Visit vec.vic.gov.au for more information and to pre-complete your nomination form using the online Candidate Helper.  

    If you use the online Candidate Helper, print your pre-completed form and make an appointment to lodge it with the election manager along with the nomination fee.  

    To make a nomination appointment, call 8620 1316 from Monday 17 August 2026. 

    Map of Lockwood Ward in Greater Bendigo City Council

    Candidate information session

    A candidate information session will be hosted online using Microsoft Teams at 6 pm on Wednesday 12 August 2026. 

    There is a link to register for the live stream on vec.vic.gov.au.  
     
    Candidate information kits containing nomination forms and other electoral information will be available online and from the election manager. 

    Nominations close 12 noon on Tuesday 25 August 2026. 

    State-enrolled voters can register for free VoterAlert SMS and email reminders at vec.vic.gov.au/voteralert. 

  • Voting details - published 7 September 2026

    Check the mail for your ballot pack

    Ballot packs containing voting material will be mailed to enrolled voters from Monday 14 September 2026.   

    This is a postal election only.  

    If you do not receive your ballot pack by Tuesday 22 September 2026 please visit vec.vic.gov.au to complete the online replacement form, or call 131 832 to arrange a replacement.   

    Candidates

    Candidates who have nominated for the by-election are listed in the ballot packs and at vec.vic.gov.au 

    A photo and candidate statement will also be included if provided by candidates. Responses to a candidate questionnaire, if provided, are available at vec.vic.gov.au 

    How to vote correctly 

    You must complete your ballot paper correctly for your vote to count. Put the number 1 in the box next to the candidate you want to see elected, then number all the other boxes in order of your choice. You must number every box and only use each number once.  

    How to return your ballot pack

    Put your completed ballot paper in the ballot paper envelope, complete the declaration, then post it ASAP using the reply-paid envelope provided, or hand deliver it during election office hours to: 

    36 Torrens Street
    Marong

    Voting is compulsory

    Voting is compulsory for all voters who were enrolled at 4 pm on Wednesday 22 July 2026. This includes state-enrolled and council-enrolled voters. 

    If you don't vote and don't have a valid excuse, you may be fined.

    Your completed ballot pack must be in the mail or hand delivered by 6 pm on Friday 2 October 2026.

    State-enrolled voters can register for free VoterAlert SMS and email reminders at vec.vic.gov.au