Council elections

Local government elections are held in Victoria every 4 years. They are managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) with assistance of local councils.

Key dates

  • 7-10 October: VEC will post ballot packs to enrolled voters
  • 25 October: voting closes at 6pm
  • 26 October: vote counting begins, existing Council is no longer in office
  • 11 November: vote count completed and results declared

Voting

Voting is mandatory. You can post or drop off your completed ballot from 7 October to before 6pm on 25 October at:

VEC Banyule Elections Office
F3/25-31 Sherbourne Road
Briar Hill 3088

There will be no polling booth that you attend to cast your vote.

Residents in Banyule's Beale Ward will not be receiving a VEC ballot pack. Instead, you will receive uncontested ward information along with voter alerts. Only 1 candidate stood for election in Beale and you are no longer required to vote. You will not be fined.

The VEC has voting instructions in Arabic, Assyrian, Burmese, Cantonese, Dari, Hazaragi, Khmer, Mandarin, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Away during elections voting

If you will be away from your enrolled address between Monday 7 October and Friday 25 October, you may still be able to vote. The VEC offers a few options for you depending on your circumstances.

You may be able to:

  • have your ballot pack redirected if your address has changed since the roll closed on 7 August 2024. If you have moved within or outside of Banyule, you must vote for your old address or risk a fine.
  • vote in person if you will be away from your enrolled address with no access to mail (go to our VEC Election Office from Wednesday 18 September to Friday 25 October).
  • let the VEC know that you cannot vote in person or have your ballot pack redirected by completing an Away from Victoria form that is linked to your enrolment.

Council operations during campaign period

During the caretaker period, we cannot award new contracts or make decisions that may hinder the free operation of the new Council. This is in line with our Governance Rules and Election Period Policy.

This is to ensure there is no interference in the election process and to safeguard the authority of newly elected councillors.

All of our services will operate as normal during this time. In the months leading up to the election, we put everything in place to keep things running smoothly.

Voter enrolment and councillor candidate information

Reporting a problem

Our Governance and Integrity Team plays an important role in helping the VEC run a free and fair election in Banyule.

If you see anything you think is against the rules, you can report it to us at elections@banyule.vic.gov.au

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