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78 of the 79 local government areas in Victoria (647 of the 656 councillors in Victoria) [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Registered | 4,532,506 [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2024 Victorian local elections were held on 26 October 2024 to elect the councils of 78 of the 79 local government areas (LGAs) in Victoria, Australia. [24] The elections were conducted by the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), with voting taking place via post throughout October to elect 647 councillors across the state. [25] [26]
New councillors were elected in Casey and Whittlesea for the first time since 2016 after the councils were dismissed in February and March 2020 respectively. [27] [28]
39 councils were affected by the Local Government Act 2020, which will see a large number of multi-member wards replaced with single-member wards. [29] [30] This significantly increases the number of wards but will likely reduce the average number of candidates standing in these wards. [31]
No election was held for Moira Shire after the council was dismissed in March 2023 and a panel of administrators was appointed. [32] The next election for Moira is scheduled to be held in October 2028. [33] [34]
In February 2022, Labor councillor Milad El-Halabi resigned from Moreland City Council after being charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud for allegedly tampering with the council elections. [35] He was replaced via countback in March 2022 by Socialist Alliance's Monica Harte. [36]
On 31 March 2023, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found that El-Halabi was unduly elected. He has denied all allegations. [37]
The Greens have had five of its councillors resign from the party since the 2020 elections, and a further four seats have been lost due to resignations and deaths, reducing its total number from 36 to 28 as of July 2024.
James Conlan (Merri-bek) left the party in solidarity with senator Lidia Thorpe, Amanda Stone (Yarra) resigned in February 2023, and Anab Mohamud (Yarra) resigned in February 2024. [38]
In April 2024, both Greens councillors in Monash − Anjalee de Silva and Josh Fergeus − left the party. [39]
Like in state and federal elections, Victorian local elections use full preferential voting, meaning voters must number every candidate. [40] With the exception of Melbourne City Council, which has a "Leadership Team" election (consisting of a lord mayor and deputy lord mayor), mayors are not directly-elected and are instead chosen by councillors. [41]
Businesses are given two votes in Melbourne City Council elections, the only LGA in Victoria where this is the case. [42] Property investors and business owners do not have to be Australian citizens to vote. [42] [43]
At the 2020 election, the Melbourne City Council electoral roll was composed of 55.1% business and out-of-the-area property owners, with local residents making up the remaining 44.9%. [42]
A similar electoral system in New South Wales previously applied for Sydney City Council, where businesses also had two votes. [44] This was introduced in 2014 but abolished in 2023 ahead of the 2024 election. [45] [46]The Greens endorse all candidates for local elections, while Labor Party members can either by formally endorsed or stand as "non-endorsed, supported candidates" (otherwise referred to as Independent Labor). [47] [48] [49]
The Liberal Party typically does not endorse candidates, however the party has an endorsed ticket for the Melbourne City Council leadership team (lord mayor and deputy lord mayor) for the first time in party history. [50] Local party branches also often make their own endorsements. [51] [52]
The Animal Justice Party, Fusion Party, Libertarian Party, Socialist Alliance and the Victorian Socialists are all endorsing candidates.
Analysis from The Age found that 47% of candidates in Greater Melbourne were members of a political party, including both endorsed and non-endorsed candidates. [53]
A total of 2,231 people nominated to contest the elections − 45 more than the amount that contested the 2020 elections. [67] More than 60 candidates were Greek Australians. [68]
All candidates in Victorian local elections are required to complete mandatory training to "help [candidates] understand the role and responsibilities of being a councillor". [69] This requirement was introduced at the 2020 elections as a result of the Local Government Act 2020, and candidates who do not complete the training are ineligible to nominate. [70] No other state has these requirements for any elections. [71]
Following the close of nominations, the VEC announced that four candidates were "retired" after it was found they had not completed the required training. [72] These candidates were retired prior to ballot papers being printed, and will not appear on any ballots. [72]
However, a further 16 candidates were retired after 30 September 2024, which was after ballot papers had been printed. [73] [74] This means that while they will remain on the ballot, they are not eligible to serve as a councillor and their votes will be distributed to other candidates according to voters' preferences. [72] [75] [76]
The retirements have brought the total number of candidates down to 2,211. [77]
A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2024 elections, including three councillors who joined the Victorians Party before it dissolved in September 2022. [78]
Voting takes place throughout October. [85] [86]
In Manningham, Westerfolds Ward candidate Isabella Eltaha received criticism after handing out campaign flyers at Saint Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church "despite being explicitly asked not to campaign during a Sunday service". [87] Eltaha told the Manningham Leader that she was "shocked" that anyone had an issue with her attendance and said she was "never told not to attend". [88]
The Israel–Hamas war was the subject of campaigning in the local elections. [89] [90] As was the case at the New South Wales local elections in September, a group called "We Vote For Palestine" asked candidates to sign their pledge, which included supporting a ceasefire and divesting from Israel. [91] [92]
Party | Votes | % | Swing | Seats [g] | Change [h] | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independents | 2,093,674 | 60.29 | 457 | ||||
Ind. Labor | 375,223 | 10.81 | 58 | ||||
Ind. Liberal | 356,697 | 10.27 | 48 | ||||
Greens | 201,189 | 5.79 | 28 | ||||
Labor | 121,013 | 3.45 | +1.01 | 20 | 8 | ||
Victorian Socialists | 67,296 | 1.94 | +1.33 | 1 | |||
Community Independents | 30,018 | 0.86 | +0.86 | 2 | 2 | ||
Your Local Independents | 21,940 | 0.63 | +0.63 | 2 | 1 | ||
Team Nick Reece | 18,558 | 0.53 | -0.21 | 2 | [i] | ||
Libertarian | 18,449 | 0.53 | 2 [c] | ||||
Ind. National | 16,439 | 0.47 | 5 | 1 | |||
Yarra For All | 16,157 | 0.46 | +0.46 | 4 | 1 | ||
Community Labor | 15,914 | 0.46 | +0.46 | 3 | 3 | ||
Ind. Libertarian | 13,133 | 0.38 | 2 [j] | 2 | |||
Liberal | 12,841 | 0.37 | +0.37 | 1 | 1 | ||
Socialist Alliance | 12,771 | 0.37 | +0.09 | 1 | |||
Team Kouta | 10,588 | 0.30 | +0.30 | 1 [k] | 1 | ||
Team Wood | 9,366 | 0.27 | -0.10 | 1 | |||
Residents of Port Phillip | 7,279 | 0.21 | -0.06 | 3 | 1 | ||
Ind. Freedom | 6,452 | 0.19 | +0.19 | 0 | |||
Animal Justice | 5,618 | 0.16 | 0 | 1 | |||
People Empowering | 5,465 | 0.16 | +0.16 | 1 | 1 | ||
Back to Basics Team | 4,183 [l] | 0.12 | +0.12 | 2 [l] | 2 | ||
Team Morgan | 3,654 | 0.10 | +0.05 | 1 | 1 | ||
Ind. Democratic Labour | 3,441 | 0.10 | 0 | ||||
Ind. United Australia | 3,252 | 0.09 | +0.09 | 1 | |||
Rip Up the Bike Lanes! | 2,878 | 0.08 | +0.08 | 0 | |||
Team Hakim | 2,813 | 0.08 | +0.07 | 0 | 1 | ||
Voices for Melbourne | 2,689 | 0.08 | +0.08 | 0 | |||
Ind. Federation | 2,189 | 0.06 | +0.06 | 1 | 1 | ||
Ind. Sustainable Australia | 2,013 | 0.06 | +0.04 | 0 | |||
Ind. Family First | 1,893 | 0.05 | +0.05 | 0 | |||
Ind. Socialist Alliance | 1,569 | 0.04 | 0 | ||||
Innovate Melbourne | 1,547 | 0.04 | +0.04 | 1 | 1 | ||
Your Voice Matters to Me | 1,134 | 0.03 | +0.03 | 0 | |||
Team Elvis Martin | 1,000 | 0.03 | +0.03 | 0 | |||
Ind. Legalise Cannabis | 996 | 0.03 | +0.03 | 0 | |||
Team Participate | 461 | 0.01 | +0.01 | 0 | |||
Fusion | 351 | 0.01 | +0.01 | 0 | |||
Ind. Fusion | 274 | 0.01 | +0.01 | 0 | |||
Formal votes | 3,472,417 | ||||||
Informal votes | |||||||
Total | 645 | ||||||
Registered voters / turnout | 4,532,506 |
The total statewide vote increased for the Greens, who won 28 councillors (a decrease of eight from 2020, but the same amount they held before the elections). [95]
In Yarra, which elected a majority Greens council in 2020, the party went from five councillors to two, although the council-wide vote percentage remained almost unchanged. [96] The party also lost all representation in Glen Eira, Port Phillip and Stonnington and lost one of its two seats in Melbourne. [96]
Greens candidates were elected in Bass Coast, Campaspe and Frankston for the first time. [97] [98] [99]
In the almost 80 wards that the Victorian Socialists contested, the party had an average first preference vote of 10.8%. [100]
Owen Cosgriff was elected to Whipstick Ward in Greater Bendigo, becoming the party's first candidate elected outside of Greater Melbourne and its first elected to a single-member district at any level of government. [101] Cosgriff had 40.7% of first preferences and 52.7% of the two-candidate-preferred vote, defeating two independent candidates.
The party's vote increased in Darebin, where candidate Steph Price received 44.10% of the two-candidate-preferred vote in West Ward. [102] In South West Ward, candidate Cat Rose came close to winning the seat after finishing in third place, just 0.42% behind the Greens (who went on to defeat Labor after preference distribution).
The Victorian Electoral Commission has held a number of by-elections and countbacks to fill vacancies on councils since the 2024 elections. [103] [104]
Council | Ward | Before | Change | After | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Councillor | Party | Cause | Date | Date | Councillor | Party | ||||
Golden Plains [105] | Unsubdivided | Lachlan Glen | Independent | Resignation | 10 December 2024 | 13 January 2025 | Gavin Gamble | Greens | ||
The City of Yarra is a local government area (LGA) in Victoria, Australia in the inner eastern and northern suburbs of Melbourne. It is the second smallest LGA in the state with an area of 19.5 square kilometres (7.5 sq mi), and in June 2021 it had a population of 91,543, making it the second most densely populated LGA, with around 4,695 people per square kilometre. The City of Yarra was formed in 1994 as a result of the amalgamation of the former Cities of Richmond, Collingwood, Fitzroy, and parts of Carlton North and parts of Alphington and Fairfield.
The City of Darebin is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It has an area of 54 square kilometres (20.8 sq mi) and in June 2018 Darebin had a population of 161,609. Municipal offices are located at 350 High Street, Preston.
The Victorian Greens, officially known as the Australian Greens Victoria, is the Victorian state member party of the Australian Greens, a green political party in Australia.
Local government in the Australian state of Victoria consists of 79 local government areas (LGAs). Also referred to as municipalities, Victorian LGAs are classified as cities (34), shires (38), rural cities (6) and boroughs (1). In general, an urban or suburban LGA is called a city and is governed by a City Council, while a rural LGA covering a larger rural area is usually called a shire and is governed by a Shire Council. Local councils have the same administrative functions and similar political structures, regardless of their classification.
The Victorian Socialists (VS) is an Australian political party based in the state of Victoria. The party's stated aims are "to put politicians on a worker's wage so they live like the rest of us" and "to get socialists into parliament who will fight to make workers richer and billionaires poorer".
Stephen Jolly is an Australian politician, socialist activist, author and construction worker. He currently serves as the mayor of Yarra and has been a councillor of the City of Yarra since 2004, initially representing Langridge Ward before being elected to MacKillop Ward in 2024.
The 2020 Victorian local elections were held on 24 October 2020 to elect the councils of 76 of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.
The 2016 Victorian local elections were held on 22 October 2016 to elect the councils of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.
The 2026 Tasmanian local elections will be held in October 2026 to elect the councils, mayors and deputy mayors of the 29 local government areas (LGAs) in Tasmania, Australia.
The 2008 Victorian local elections were held on 29 November 2008 to elect the councils of the 79 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.
The 2002 Victorian local elections were held on 16 March 2002 to elect the councils of 17 of the 78 local government areas in Victoria, Australia.
The 2024 Melbourne City Council election was held on 26 October 2024 to elect nine councillors and a leadership team to the City of Melbourne. The election was held as part of the statewide local government elections in Victoria, Australia.
This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Inner Melbourne region.
This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the South-Eastern Melbourne region.
This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Northern Melbourne region.
This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Barwon South West region.
This is a list of results for the 2024 Victorian local elections in the Hume region.
This is a list of results for the 2020 Victorian local elections in the Inner Melbourne region.
This is a list of results for the 2020 Victorian local elections in the Northern Melbourne region.
This council was dismissed by an Act of Parliament in March 2023. The next election will be in October 2028.
Obligations of Non Endorsed Supported Candidates
I'm standing as the Greens candidate for Sugarloaf ward.
I have chosen not to run as a Greens (or any) party candidate again, because I am more complex than any one label
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