Candidate nominations
Candidate nominations dates will be confirmed soon.
To be a candidate, you must:
- be eligible to stand as a candidate – see below
- complete a nomination form, make an appointment with the Election Manager (contact details to come) and deliver your form and nomination fee to the election office
- pay the nomination fee of $250 (which will be refunded if you are elected or get at least 4 per cent of the first preference votes)
- complete the local government training, which takes around one hour – register for the Local Government candidate training.
The nomination form will be available on the Victorian Electoral Commission website approximately two weeks before the opening of nominations.
Candidate Helper is an online tool that will guide you through drafting your nomination form and allow you to print it to take into your nomination appointment. It will be available on the Victorian Electoral Commission website approximately two weeks before the opening of nominations.
You can find out more about becoming a council candidate by reading the Victorian Electoral Commission’s candidate handbooks or local candidate information.
The Municipal Association of Victoria runs information sessions on what is involved in being a candidate. Find out more and register to attend the sessions.
Eligibility to be a candidate
If you are thinking of becoming a candidate for the election, you must:
- be an Australian citizen aged 18 years or older
- be enrolled to vote in the City of Melbourne
- have completed the Local Government candidate training (it takes around one hour).
You cannot be a candidate if you:
- are an undischarged bankrupt
- have property that is subject to control under the law relating to bankruptcy
- are a member of council staff of the council. You can take leave from this role to nominate
- have been convicted of any of the criminal offences referred to in section 34(2) of the Local Government Act 2020
- are a councillor with another council, including interstate councils
- are member of an Australian parliament, including the federal parliament or a member of parliament in any state or territory of the Commonwealth of Australia
- are employed by a federal or state member of parliament as a ministerial officer, a parliamentary adviser or an electorate officer. You can take leave from these roles to nominate.
Key dates for candidates
- Enrol by 6 August – To be an election candidate you must be enrolled to vote in the City of Melbourne. You can check whether you are enrolled by visiting the Victorian Electoral Commission or enrol at Enrolling or changing my details.
Dates will be updated as soon as confirmed.
