2022 Local Government Elections
Overview
Tasmanian councils are the closest level of government to the community. They are responsible for representing the interests of their communities and delivering local services and infrastructure.
The local government elections give you the opportunity to nominate to become a councillor or elect councillors who you think best represent you. Changes to the legislation earlier this year mean that voting in local government elections is now compulsory.
Council elections occur every four years. There are between seven and 12 councillors, one of which is the Mayor.
Checklist
If you're considering becoming a councillor, please look through the following resources:
- The LGAT Candidate Handbook
- Online training modules (register here) - more info on 'nominate' page
- Frequently Asked Questions
- TEC Candidate Booklet.
More info
Nominate
As the closest level of government to the community, councils make decisions every day that impact the lives of all people.
Becoming a councillor allows you to influence local directions and make a long term, positive difference in your community.
Strong and effective councils reflect the diverse communities they serve and include people from various backgrounds, abilities, genders and ages.
We have prepared a handbook to help you understand the roles and responsibilities of a councillor. The handbook will help you to decide whether to nominate and run for council. Please click on the link below to download an electronic version of the guide.
Important dates to note for the 2022 election are:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notice of elections | 3rd September 2022 |
| Candidate nominations open | 5th September 2022 |
| Candidate nominations close | 19th September 2022 |
| Nomination period | 5th - 19th September 2022 |
| Polling period (at least) | 3rd - 25th October 2022** |
| Closing day | 25th October 2022 |
**This may be extended by the TEC.
Enrol
To nominate and vote in the local government elections, you must first enrol with the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC).
If you are enrolled to vote on the State or Federal Electoral Roll, you are already enrolled for local government elections.
To find out if you're enrolled to vote, you can check your enrolment details here or head to the Tasmanian Electoral Commission website.
Vote
All voting in council elections is compulsory under the Local Government Amendment (Elections) Bill 2022. You can vote via post.
Enrolled voters will receive a voting package in the mail. Once completed, you need to return the completed ballot paper in the reply paid envelope.
The TEC will send out voting packs in the mail at least 2 weeks before voting.
In addition to ballot papers, each pack includes information about the candidates standing for election and includes a guide on how to complete and return the ballot papers.
Some councils offer ‘meet the candidate’ events. Please contact your local council to determine whether they’re holding events in your community.
Votes must be received by the Returning Officer no later than the day and time noted on the ballot materials.