Victorians looking to make a difference in their local community can now nominate for the upcoming local council elections.
Local Government election nominations are open from 9:00am Monday, 9 September until 12:00pm Tuesday, 17 September. Postal ballots will be sent to all Victorians on the electoral roll in early October and must be returned by close of voting on Friday, 25 October.
Elections will be held in Victoria for all councils except Moira Shire Council, which was dismissed in March 2023 and will return to elected representation in 2028.
All candidates are required to undertake the online Local Government Victoria candidate training to be eligible to nominate for council, as required by the Local Government Act 2020.
The free training has been reviewed and updated this year to strengthen candidates' knowledge and understanding of the roles and responsibilities of councils and councillors. New additions include understanding conflicts of interest, and available support for councillors to perform their role.
The Allan Labor Government has passed reforms to the Local Government Act 2020 to improve culture, governance and integrity standards in Victoria's councils ahead of this year's elections.
Councils will have a uniform councillor code of conduct to create consistent standards of behaviour and increase accountability. A program of mandatory training will also be introduced for councillors and mayors, including annual professional development.
The reforms introduce stronger sanctions for councillor misconduct and improved processes to resolve conduct matters earlier, including strengthened powers for the Minister to address councillor conduct.
Further information about the local council elections, including eligibility requirements, is available on the VEC website.
Local Government Victoria's mandatory candidate training is available at localgovernment.vic.gov.au/council-governance/candidate-training.
As stated by Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne
"Councils should reflect the communities they represent - I encourage local leaders to consider nominating in the upcoming local government elections."
"Our reforms will create a uniform code of conduct across all councillors and introduce mandatory training, supporting good governance at councils and ensuring they focus on the needs of the communities they represent."
