2026 Tasmanian local elections

Last updated
2026 Tasmanian local elections
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←  2022 October 20262030 →
All 29 local government areas in Tasmania
(All 263 council members) [1] [2]
 
IND
Greens placeholder-01.png
Party Independents Greens
Last election199 seats11 seats
Current seats2049 [a]

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. [8]

Contents

Electoral system

Like at state and federal elections, voting in Tasmanian local elections is compulsory and has been since 2022. [9] All voting is held via post, and the elections are conducted by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC). [10]

Councillor elections are conducted using a slightly modified version of the Hare-Clark electoral system, which is also used for Tasmanian House of Assembly elections. [11] Mayors and deputy mayors are elected using preferential voting, which is also used for Tasmanian Legislative Council elections. [11] The Robson Rotation is used to rotate the order in which candidate names appear on ballot papers. [12]

Council changes since last election

Local Government Minister Kerry Vincent announced plans on 15 September 2025 to reduced the amount of councillors statewide by 60. [13] The proposal was to have councils with 9, 7 or 5 councillors and then put a councils' councillors in one of 6 allowance bands based on a number of factors. [13]

CouncilCurrent CouncillorsPlanned Councillors
Clarence 129
Hobart 129
Launceston 129
Glenorchy 109
Kingborough 109
Burnie 97
Central Coast 97
Devonport 97
West Tamar 97
Northern Midlands 97
Sorell 97
Circular Head 97
Meander Valley 97
Huon Valley 97
Brighton 97
Break O'Day 97
Latrobe 97
Dorset 97
Kentish 97
George Town 97
Waratah–Wynyard 87
Derwent Valley 87
Glamorgan–Spring Bay 87
Southern Midlands 77
Central Highlands 95
West Coast 95
King Island 95
Flinders 75
Tasman 75
Totals263203

Candidates

Political parties

The Tasmanian Liberal Party and the Tasmanian Labor Party generally do not endorse candidates for local elections. [14] [15] The Tasmanian Greens do endorse candidates and had 11 candidates elected in 2022. [16] [17]

Party changes before elections

A number of councillors joined or left parties before the 2026 elections.

CouncilCouncillorFormer partyNew partyDate
Dorset Greg Howard  Independent Liberal   Independent 12 July 2023 [18] [19]
Hobart Louise Elliot  Independent   Independent Liberal November 2023 [20]
Latrobe Jacki Martin  Independent   Independent Liberal 26 November 2023 [21]
Northern Midlands Richard Goss  Independent   Independent Labor 1 December 2023 [22]
Glamorgan-Spring Bay Carole McQueeney  Independent   Independent Labor 1 December 2023 [22]
Hobart Louise Elliot  Independent Liberal   Independent 20 February 2024 [23]
West Tamar Julie Sladden  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
King Island Sarina Laidler  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
Latrobe Vonette Mead  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
Burnie Giovanna Simpson  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
Kingborough Aldo Antolli  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
Meander Valley Stephanie Cameron  Independent   Independent Liberal 20 February 2024 [24]
Sorell Kerry Vincent Independent   Independent Liberal 3 April 2024 [25]
Break O'Day Liz Johnston  Greens   Independent 2023/2024 [26] [27]
Kingborough Gideon Cordover  Greens   Independent Mid-2024 [28] [27]
Latrobe Claudia Baldock  Independent   Independent National 5 October 2024
Glamorgan-Spring Bay Neil Edwards  Independent   Independent National 5 October 2024
Northern Midlands Paul Terett  Independent   Independent National 5 October 2024
Northern Midlands Andrew McCullagh  Independent   Independent National 5 October 2024
West Coast Kerry Graham  Independent   Independent Fusion 2 April 2025 [29] [30]
Central Coast Kate Wylie  Independent   Independent Liberal 13 June 2025 [31]
Central Coast Cheryl Fuller  Independent   Independent Labor 18 June 2025 [32]
Kingborough Gideon Cordover  Independent   Greens June 2025 [33]
Latrobe Claudia Baldock  Independent National   Independent June 2025 [33]

Notes

  1. ↑ Liz Johnstone (Break O'Day) and Gideon Cordover (Kingborough) left the Greens at some point between 2023 and 2024. [3] [4] [5] Helen Burnet (Hobart) was elected to the House of Assembly in 2024 and replaced via countback by Gemma Kitsos, and Jenny Chambers-Smith (Huon Valley) resigned from council in 2024 and was replaced via countback by Lukas Mrosek. [6] [7]

References

  1. ↑ "Review of Tasmania's Local Government Legislation Framework" (PDF). Department of Premier and Cabinet. December 2018. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024. There are currently 263 elected members and nearly 4000 employees across Tasmania's 29 councils, who serve half a million constituents
  2. ↑ Burton, Bob (2 August 2021). "Most Tasmanian councils in breach of rules for disclosure of gifts and donations". Tasmanian Inquirer. Archived from the original on 22 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "Liz Johnstone". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Gideon Cordover". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Our Council Representatives". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 25 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "Hobart's newest councillor Gemma Kitsos officially elected after recount". Pulse Tasmania. 22 April 2024. Archived from the original on 22 April 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "Greens candidate Lukas Mrosek fills council vacancy in Huon Valley". Pulse Tasmania. 20 August 2024. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  8. ↑ "Council elections". Tasmanian Government. Archived from the original on 24 October 2024.
  9. ↑ Langenberg, Adam (11 October 2022). "Tasmania's first local election with compulsory voting has been hotly fought". ABC News. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Cooper-Douglas, Erin (2 October 2022). "Voting in Tasmania's local council elections is now compulsory. Here's what you need to know". ABC News. Archived from the original on 17 September 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Ways to vote". Tasmanian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "A discussion paper on Robson rotation in Tasmania" (PDF). Tasmanian Electoral Commission. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Council shake-up: Plans to cut 60 councillor positions across Tasmania". Pulse Tasmania. 2025-09-15. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  14. ↑ "LIBERALS ISSUE "HOW TO VOTE" ADVICE FOR HOBART COUNCIL ELECTION". Facebook. Tasmanian Liberals. 10 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  15. ↑ "Australian Labor Party Tasmanian Branch rules" (PDF). Tasmanian Labor. 23 June 2023. p. 40. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024. The Party may decide to endorse a candidate or candidates for a local government election.
  16. ↑ Booth, Kim (23 October 2014). "Vote Green this Local Government Election". Tasmanian Greens MPs. Archived from the original on 16 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  17. ↑ "Greens Announce 5 Candidates for HCC Elections". Tasmanian Times. 14 February 2022. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  18. ↑ Maloney, Matt (12 July 2023). "Dorset mayor Greg Howard bitterly breaks from Liberal Party". The Examiner. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  19. ↑ "Labor: Liberals in Disarray over Elitism, Local Government". Tasmanian Times. 13 July 2023. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  20. ↑ Woodruff, Rosalie (14 November 2023). "Right-Wing Extremism". Tasmanian Greens MPs. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  21. ↑ Bailey, Sue (26 November 2023). "Tasmanian Liberal Senate preselection: Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley not on ticket". The Mercury . Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  22. 1 2 "Locals line up for Labor in Lyons". New Norfolk News. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  23. ↑ Bailey, Sue (21 February 2024). "Change of heart: Hobart councillor Louise Elliot ditches Liberals to run for election as independent". The Mercury. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Liberals Announce Candidate Line-up". Tasmanian Times. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "Another Tasmanian mayor seeking election to upper house". The Mercury (Hobart) . News Corp Australia. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  26. ↑ "Liz Johnstone". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Our Council Representatives". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 25 October 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  28. ↑ "Gideon Cordover". Tasmanian Greens. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  29. ↑ "Fusion: A New Political Party in Australia". Fusion Party. 2 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  30. ↑ "Kerry Graham for Senate". Fusion Party. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  31. ↑ "Rockliff unveils 'best ever' Liberal team for Braddon ahead of state election". Pulse Tasmania. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  32. ↑ "State election: Labor unveils northern candidates promising 'fresh start' for Tasmania". Pulse Tasmania. 18 June 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  33. 1 2 "TEC – It's Official, 161 Candidates Confirmed". Tasmanian Times. 27 June 2025. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
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