FAQs
When are the Melbourne City Council elections?
The Melbourne City Council elections will be held in October 2024. There will be no voting on elections day, as it is a postal vote only.
You must send your completed ballot papers back in the enclosed envelope before 6pm on Friday 25 October.
Enrol by 6 August 2024, or check you are enrolled. You must vote if you are enrolled in the City of Melbourne.
Why does the City of Melbourne have elections?
Under the City of Melbourne Act 2001, elections are held every four years to provide residents, businesses, property owners and entitled representatives of companies the opportunity to choose who is on the Melbourne City Council. The council term is for the next four years and includes the Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and nine Councillors.
Your vote is important. The Melbourne City Council delivers a lot of services to residents and businesses. The Council looks after our city, including 480 hectares of parklands, sporting fields, recreation centres, libraries and community centres, waste collection and pet registrations.
Who can vote in the elections?
If you are over 18, you can vote if you:
- rent a house or apartment in the City of Melbourne – you just need to be named on a rental agreement and have lived there for one month or more. You can be an international student; you do not need to be a citizen
- own a house or apartment in the City of Melbourne and live in it
- own a house or apartment in the City of Melbourne and live somewhere else in Australia
- are a business owner, who owns or leases a commercial property in the city. You could be sharing the property with another business
- represent a company or corporation that owns or leases a property in the city.
Enrol by 6 August, or check you are enrolled. You must vote if you are enrolled in City of Melbourne.
How do I enrol to vote?
If you live in the City of Melbourne, and are an Australian citizen, you might already be enrolled to vote in the Council elections. The best way to quickly check if you are enrolled is to visit the Victorian Electoral Commission.
If you have moved into the City of Melbourne in the past four years, you might not be enrolled to vote in these elections – you need to check your enrolment.
If you are enrolled, you do not need to do anything. A ballot pack will be mailed to you when it is time to vote.
Enrol by 6 August, or check you are enrolled. You must vote if you are enrolled in the City of Melbourne.
When do I need to be enrolled to vote by?
Enrol by 6 August. You must vote if you are enrolled in the City of Melbourne.
If you are not enrolled or are not sure if you are enrolled, you can check and enrol at Enrolling or changing my details.
How do I know if I am enrolled to vote in the City of Melbourne?
Enrol by 6 August. You must vote if you are enrolled in the City of Melbourne.
If you are 18 years or older, are enrolled to vote in Victorian or Australian government elections and you voted in the last council elections, you are likely to be enrolled already to vote in these elections.
You are likely to be enrolled if you own a property in the City of Melbourne, even if you live somewhere else in Australia.
You may need to enrol if you rent a property in the City of Melbourne with a rental agreement.
If you have previously enrolled as a company representative, you will already be enrolled.
If you have moved into the City of Melbourne in the past four years, you may need to check your enrolment.
If you are not enrolled but are eligible to vote, find the right enrolment form.
If you are enrolled, you do not need to do anything. A ballot pack will be mailed to you when it is time to vote.
Where do I vote?
The Melbourne City Council elections will be held by postal vote only. There will be no voting on election day, as it is a postal vote only.
The election ballot papers will be mailed to you in October.
You must send your completed ballot pack back in the enclosed envelope before 6pm on 25 October.
If you do not receive a ballot pack in the mail, please contact the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) on 13 18 32.
Extended hours will take place closer to election day.
I will be away during the election period; do I have to vote?
Yes, voting is compulsory if you are enrolled to vote. If you are going to be away, you can receive an early voting form. Please contact the VEC on 13 18 32.
If you live overseas, you will not automatically be enrolled, but if you are registered at an address in Australia and you are overseas, you might be at risk of receiving a fine.
The best way to check is if you are enrolled is to visit the Victorian Electoral Commission.
What is a “rateable property”?
Rateable property is defined in the City of Melbourne Act as ‘an occupancy which is capable of being separately valued under section 13DC of the Valuation of Land Act 1960 (but is not a single parking space, a single mooring location or a single storage unit.)’
Whether you own or occupy rateable property defines your eligibility to enrol for the elections. An occupancy means you have a lease, or legal agreement, that gives you exclusive control of an area in City of Melbourne.
There are exceptions which include properties exempt from rating, such as charities and not for profits, single car spaces, single storage units under 25m and single mooring locations. Other exceptions may exist and should you have any queries please email elections@melbourne.vic.gov.au or phone the Elections Helpline on 1300 735 427.
I own a property in the City of Melbourne but live somewhere else in Australia or overseas. Do I have to vote?
Yes, if you own a house or apartment in the City of Melbourne and live somewhere else in Australia, and you are enrolled to vote, you must vote.
If you live overseas, you will not automatically be enrolled, but if you are registered at an address in Australia and you are overseas, you might be at risk of receiving a fine.
Check if you are enrolled to vote.
If you are enrolled, you do not need to do anything. A ballot pack will be mailed to you when it is time to vote.
Is voting compulsory?
Yes, voting in the Council elections is compulsory if you are enrolled to vote. You can be excused from voting in the elections if you are ill or infirm. For further information call the VEC on 13 18 32.
You can also be excused from voting if you have sold or vacated the property in the City of Melbourne, or you were enrolled as a Company representative and are no longer associated with the company at the time of the elections.
If you are enrolled, you do not need to do anything. A ballot pack will be mailed to you when it is time to vote.
I own my property with someone else, can we both vote?
Up to two owners of a property can vote, regardless of whether they live within the municipality. If you are the sole owner, you have one vote. If there are joint owners, you have two votes between you.
What is the voters’ roll?
The Melbourne City Council voters’ roll (commonly referred to as the Council roll) is the list of people enrolled and entitled to vote in the Melbourne City Council elections. Those on the Council roll are sent ballot packs and must vote in the elections.
The voters’ roll is made up of two lists, the State Roll supplied by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) and the Council Roll.
The VEC list includes state enrolled voters who reside within the City of Melbourne.
The Council Roll includes those entitled to vote who are not on the VEC list and includes residents (including non-citizens), businesses, property owners and entitled representatives of companies.
Check to see if you are eligible to vote in the upcoming Melbourne City Council elections.
How many times can my name appear on the voters’ roll?
Once. You can only vote once, even if you own many properties in the City of Melbourne.
Who or what am I voting for?
You will receive two ballot papers in the mail at the same time. The first ballot is for the election of the Leadership Team comprising the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor.
The second ballot is for the election of nine Councillors. All nine Councillors represent the entire City of Melbourne. There are no Wards.
I am a new resident in the municipality, how do I enrol to vote?
If you are not enrolled, you can check which form needs to be completed.
Who can be a candidate and how do I become a candidate?
If you are thinking of becoming a candidate for the elections, you must be an Australian citizen, aged 18 years or older, be enrolled to vote in the City of Melbourne and have completed the Local Government candidate training.
You can find out how at the Victorian Electoral Commission becoming a local candidate information.
Find out more information about what to expect as a Melbourne City Council member.
To nominate as a candidate, you must fill in a form that will be provided in September.
Information sessions on how to become a candidate will be run – we’ll provide details when they are available.
A candidate handbook for both the Leadership Team and Councillors will be available from the Victorian Electoral Commission.
My voting form came in the mail, but I have lost it, how do I get a new one?
You will need to call the VEC on 13 18 32. If it is close to the last day of voting, Victorian Electoral Commission election staff will advise electors to visit the Election Office to obtain their replacement papers and vote.
When will the results of the election come out?
The election results will be announced in November, once the postal vote receipt period has closed and the votes have been counted.
What happens if I do not vote?
Voting is compulsory in Melbourne City Council elections (including by-elections) for everyone enrolled to vote.
If you are enrolled to vote, and you do not vote, you will be fined. Read more about paying fines on the Victorian Electoral Commission website.
How are votes counted in the elections?
The votes for the election of the Leadership Team of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor are counted by the simple preferential method, which is the method used to count the votes in the national elections for the House of Representatives.
The votes for the elections of the nine Councillors are counted by the proportional representation method, which is the method used to count the votes in the national elections for the Senate.
How do I get more information?
We are here to help. If you have any questions, please call the City of Melbourne team on 1300 735 427 from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm or email elections@melbourne.vic.gov.au
If you are not sure whether you are enrolled, you can check your eligibility or, if you are an Australian citizen living in the municipality, you should confirm your enrolment by visiting the Victorian Electoral Commission website.
