Council Elections

Council Elections are held every four years.

The upcoming Golden Plains Shire Council Election is scheduled for Saturday 26 October 2024.

Administered by the Victorian Electoral Commission, stay tuned to this page for the latest updates and information regarding the Golden Plains Shire Council Elections.

Enrolling to Vote 

All eligible voters must be correctly enrolled to vote by the close of the Electoral Roll at 4pm on Friday 30 August 2024. 

Enrolling as a ratepayer in Golden Plains Shire Council:

In a Victorian local council election there are two types of voters: 

  1. State-enrolled 

  1. Council-enrolled 

You have one vote in Golden Plains Shire Council. If you are a state-enrolled voter, that is the enrolment you use to vote. 

State-enrolled voters

You must enrol and vote if you: 

  • are 18 years or older  

  • are an Australian citizen 

  • have lived at your address in Golden Plains Shire Council for longer than one month 

For more information visit the VEC website 

Council-enrolled voters (ratepayers)

Some ratepayers can apply to become council-enrolled voters in Golden Plains Shire Council if they are: 

  • a property owner, occupier or represent a corporation 

  • 18 or older 

  • not a State-enrolled voter within the Golden Plains Shire Council area 

These are known as council-enrolled voters.  

The rules for council-enrolled voters have changed ahead of the 2024 council elections. These changes are explained below. 

Owner ratepayers 

You can apply to enrol in Golden Plains Shire Council if you:  

  • own property and pay rates in the council area 

  • are 18 or older 

  • are not a state-enrolled voter who lives in Golden Plains Shire Council 

This includes: 

  • Australian citizens who own a property in Golden Plains Shire Council, but do not live in the area (for example an investment or a holiday home), 

  • non-citizens over 18 who own a property and live in Golden Plains Shire Council. 

Up to 2 ratepayers can apply to enrol per property, but each person only gets one vote. 

Occupier ratepayers 

You can apply to enrol in Golden Plains Shire Council if you: 

  • pay rates for a property that you occupy but do not own  

  • are 18 or older 

  • are not a state-enrolled voter 

Up to 2 people per property can apply to enrol, but each person only gets one vote. 

Corporations  

You can apply to enrol to vote on behalf of a corporation if you: 

  • are a director or company secretary of a corporation that pays rates (either as an owner or an occupier) in the council area  

  • have consented to being appointed as the corporation’s representative 

  • are not already a state-enrolled voter or council-enrolled voter for the same council 

Only one person can apply to enrol as the corporation’s representative.  

For more information on enrolling for Council elections, visit the Victorian Electoral Commission

Election Period

The Election Period commences on Tuesday 24 September 2024 and concludes at 6:00pm on Saturday 26 October 2024. 

Council has an Election Period Policy in place to ensure that the ordinary business of Council can continue throughout the Election Period in a responsible and transparent manner. 

Election Period Policy

More Information

For information about Victorian elections, visit the VEC website

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