Local Government Ordinary Election
The 2025 Local Government Ordinary Election will be held on Saturday 18 October 2025.
In Western Australia, Councillors are elected for terms of four years, with elections held every two years for half of the council. If a vacancy occurs within a term, an extraordinary election is held to fill the place.
The Shire uses postal voting and postal voting packages, which are mailed to all eligible electors on the local government electoral roll. Packages include a list of candidates, ballot papers, instructions on how to vote, a declaration and a reply-paid envelope.
Elections are conducted by the Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) to ensure elections are conducted independently and with impartiality. The WAEC appoints a Returning Officer to oversee the election, with this person taking candidate nominations, receiving votes and supervising the count on election night.
How has the Local Government Election been different since 2023?
The State Government is reforming the Local Government Act 1995 (the Act). In July 2022 the Department Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC) announced the final package of proposed Local Government reforms aimed at ensuring local governments better serve residents and ratepayers. The reforms have been crafted in consultation with the local government sector and are the most significant reforms to the sector in 25 years. Included in the reform package was the introduction of optional preferential voting, public election of the Shire President and requirement for local governments to consider the size of Council representation.
Read about the Review of System of Representation.
The changes to Local Government Elections are summarised below:
Voting system changed from 'first past the post' to optional preferential voting
Voting has changed from the ‘first past the post’ system to optional preferential voting – the same method used in State and Federal elections. Optional preferential voting means you are not required to provide all preferences in casting your vote.
Optional preferential voting means that to be elected you need to either achieve a majority of votes in the count for a single vacancy or a quota of votes where there is more than one vacancy to be filled. As a result, the candidates elected are more representative of the majority of voters. Under the current first-past-the-post voting system candidates have been elected with as little as 4.71% of the vote. Councils will be more representative of the majority of voters with greater opportunities for a diversity of representation and views on council.
The process of the election will remain the same, the key difference being how you complete your vote on your ballot paper, instead of ticking a box or boxes, you will number a box or boxes.
DLGSC has provided the following infographic to assist the new voting system:
Method of filling the office of the Shire President through an election by Council has changed to popularly elected by public vote
The Council agreed in an absolute majority vote to amend the process by allowing a vote of the electors of the Shire to determine the Shire President, aligning with the current State Government's review of the Local Government Act 1995. The reform, implemented by the State Government, aims to improve the services provided by local governments and ensure that they better serve residents and ratepayers. As part of this reform, it is now mandatory for local governments classified as a class 1 or 2 (band 1 or 2 under the current Salaries and Allowance Tribunal determination) to elect the Shire President through a vote by the electors.
Although the Shire of Exmouth is classified as a Class 3 Shire, it has decided to follow these new requirements voluntarily.
Information for Electors
Types of Voters
Residents
People who are already enrolled as electors on the State Electoral Roll for their residential address are automatically enrolled on the Resident Roll for Local Government Elections and will not need to make a claim for enrolment.
You are automatically enrolled to vote if you are on the State Electoral Roll as of 5:00 PM Friday, 15 February 2024. If you are a resident of the Shire and are not already on the State Electoral Roll and meet the eligibility criteria, or if you have changed address recently, you must complete an enrolment form and make a claim for enrolment with the State Electoral Commission.
Non-resident Owners and Occupiers
If you are a non-resident owner or occupier of rateable property in the Shire of Exmouth and are on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll, you are eligible to enrol to vote. If you are not on the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll and own or occupy rateable property in the Shire of Exmouth you may be eligible to enrol to vote. This applies if you were on the last electoral roll for the Shire of Exmouth prior to May 1996 and have owned or occupied rateable property in the district continuously since this time. Please contact your local government for details. Owners of land who were on the last Local Government roll continue to retain that status until they cease to own the rateable property to which the enrolment relates. Occupiers do not have continuous enrolment and should contact the Shire of Exmouth to confirm their enrolment status. To be eligible to enrol as an occupier, you will need to have a right of continuous occupation under a lease, tenancy agreement or other legal instrument for at least the next three months following the date of the application to enrol.
Joint Owners and Occupiers
If a rateable property is owned or occupied by more than two people, a majority of the owners/occupiers may nominate two persons from amongst themselves who are on either the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll to enrol as owner/occupier electors.
Corporations
A body corporate that owns or occupies rateable property may nominate two people who are on either the State or Commonwealth Electoral Roll to enrol as owner/occupier electors.
How to make sure you can vote in Local Government Elections
Voting is not compulsory but is encouraged.
All eligible electors must enrol to vote. When you enrol to vote, you are enrolled for Commonwealth, State and Local Government Elections. You can check your enrolment online.
All residents in a Local Government district who are enrolled on the State Electoral Roll are automatically enrolled on the corresponding local government roll.
If you are a resident of the Shire and not already enrolled to vote at your residence, you must make a claim for enrolment with the State Electoral Commission.
What is preferential Voting?
DLGSC has provided the following video to assist in understanding the new voting system:
Information for Candidates
Returning Officer for the Extraordinary Local Government Election 2024
The Western Australian Electoral Commission (WAEC) has been appointed to run the upcoming election as a postal election and has appointed Mr Steven Tweedie as the Returning Officer to oversee the election. Mr Tweedie can be contacted directly via the details below:
Mr Tweedie will be available to candidates who may wish to discuss nominations and other electoral-related information during the election period.
Nominations will be taken by the Returning Officer at the Shire of Exmouth offices on:
| • Wednesday, Feb 21 – 09.00 – 11.00 |
• Monday, Feb 26 - 10.00 – 11.00 |
| • Wednesday, Feb 28 – 1300 – 1600 - nominations close 1600 sharp. |
|
Candidate Information
Shire of Exmouth Information Booklet
"Thinking of Becoming a Councillor or Shire President?" has been developed to assist those who may be interested in becoming a Councillor. It highlights some of the important factors relevant to being a Councillor at the Shire of Exmouth and guides prospective candidates through the nomination process. It educates them about their responsibilities as a Council Member and encourages prospective candidates to reach out to info@exmouth.wa.gov.au | mhead@exmouth.wa.gov.au to clarify the nomination process and responsibilities of a Councillor.
Please click on the Cover below to view/download it.
WALGA Local Government Candidate Briefing (Recording)
Nominate as a Candidate
Nominations can only be made to the Returning Officer during the designated nomination period. When a candidate makes a declaration, they are attesting that they are an elector of the district and are not disqualified from holding office. The Returning Officer can witness a candidate's declaration. For more information about nominations please visit the Western Australian Electoral Commission.
To nominate as a candidate for a Local Government Election, the candidate must make a valid nomination application. This consists of:
- a completed nomination form. It is recommended that candidates use Nomination Builder to complete their nomination form and construct their candidate profile.
- a candidate profile (1,000 characters maximum)
- an optional additional statement by the candidate of a maximum of 2,000 characters, including spaces - this is submitted to the Returning Officer, not via Nomination Builder. This will be posted on the Shire website by the Returning Officer.
- record the reference number (and date) received after completing the mandatory Local Government Candidate Induction course
- a deposit of $100
- a photograph (optional).
All nomination applications must be signed by the candidate in front of a witness. The nomination application must be presented to the Returning Officer at a pre-arranged appointment before 4.00pm on the day of close of nominations, 37 days before election day.
As the Returning Officer may ask candidates to amend their nomination, it is recommended that candidates ensure that they have allowed sufficient time to finalise any required changes prior to the close of nominations.
Candidate packs are available on the WAEC website www.elections.wa.gov.au
Eligibility to nominate
Under the Local Government Act 1995, to be eligible to nominate as a candidate for a local government election, the candidate must be an elector of the district (residential or owner/occupier) and over 18 years of age. A person cannot nominate as a candidate if they:
- are a member of the Legislative Assembly, the Legislative Council, the House of Representatives or the Senate (or has been elected as such a member but has not yet taken office);
- are a member of the council of another Local Government;
- are insolvent under administration;
- are in prison serving a sentence for a crime;
- have been convicted of a serious local government offence within the last 5 years (unless the court waived the disqualification);
- have been convicted on indictment of an offence for which the indictable penalty was, or included:
- imprisonment for life, or
- imprisonment for more than five years.
- are subject to a court order disqualifying him or her from being a member of a council because he or she has misapplied local government funds or property; or
- are a nominee of a body corporate.
Prior to nominating, all candidates must complete the online candidate induction course from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries website.
Submitting a nomination
Candidates must have completed the mandatory Local Government Candidate Induction course before finalising their nomination and recorded the reference number and date on the nomination form.
They are encouraged to use the Nomination Builder on the WAEC’s website www.elections.wa.gov.au as it allows candidates to enter their details, write up their profile up to 1,000 characters including spaces, which must be written in English, and upload their optional passport-sized photo.
The Nomination Builder provides candidates with an easy method to input and edit their profile and place their photograph in a document ready for display on the Shire of Exmouth's website.
Once candidates meet with the Returning Officer, Steven Tweedie, to submit their profile it will not be corrected by the Returning Officer; unless it does contain any information that is considered to be false, misleading, or defamatory and exceeds the allowable 1,000 characters, including spaces.
Please bring a printed-out version (signed) and submit it with your nomination deposit of $100.00 (cash, bank cheque or postal note) to the Returning Officer at the time of nomination.
Candidates may also submit additional relevant information of not more than 2,000 characters that will be published on the Shire of Exmouth’s official website. The relevant information is optional but if you choose to provide it, it must be submitted with your nomination. This additional information cannot be entered into Nomination Builder.
Candidates MUST submit their nomination papers, relevant information, and nomination deposit to the Returning Officer by 4.00 pm Wednesday, 28 February 2024.
A mandatory Code of Conduct applies to all Council Members. The code also applies to all candidates. The Returning Officer will provide a copy of this to candidates at the time of nomination.
It is recommended that nominations are not left until the last minute as if a nomination is incomplete, it may not be accepted.
Nominations will be taken by the Returning Officer at the Shire of Exmouth offices on:
| • Wednesday, Feb 21 – 09.00 – 11.00 |
• Monday, Feb 26 - 10.00 – 11.00 |
| • Wednesday, Feb 28 – 13.00 – 16.00 - nominations close 1600 sharp. |
|
After you submit your nomination
Candidates are entitled to receive copies of two electoral rolls - the owners and occupiers roll, and the residents roll.
These rolls can only be used for electioneering purposes.
Election Candidates
2024 Election Candidates
Vacancies: 1 (1 Councillor)
Term: 3.5 years - expiry of term 16 October 2027
Nominations open: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Nominations close: Wednesday, 28 February 2024 - 4.00 PM (sharp)
Election Date: Friday, 12 April 2024
DRAW FOR POSITION ON BALLOT PAPER FOR COUNCILLORS
RESULTS OF ELECTION FOR SHIRE OF EXMOUTH - COUNCILLOR
2022 Election Candidates
Vacancies: 1
Term: 15 months (term to expire 21 October 2023)
Nominations open: Wednesday, 8 June 2022
Nominations close: Wednesday. 15 June 2022 at 4.00 PM (sharp)
Election Day: Friday 22 July 2022 - voting closes at 6.00 PM (sharp)
2021 Election Candidates
Vacancies: 3
Term: 4 years
Nominations open: Thursday, 2 September 2021
Nominations close: Thursday, 9 September 2021 - 4.00 PM (sharp)
(Previous) Election Results
2024 Election Results (extraordinary)
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CANDIDATE
|
VOTES
|
|
Mike BEWSHER
|
70
|
|
Mark LUCAS
|
300
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James PENFOLD
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248
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619 Ballot Papers Entered - 618 Formal Ballot Papers - 1 Informal Ballot Papers
Western Australian Electoral Commission - Notice of Election Results
32.9% of eligible voters in Exmouth used the chance to cast their vote and take part in our community's future development.
2023 Election Results (ordinary)
962 Ballot Papers Entered - 956 Formal Ballot Papers - 6 Informal Ballot Papers
Western Australian Electoral Commission - Notice of Election Results
57% of eligible voters in Exmouth used the chance to cast their vote and take part in our community's future development.
2022 Election Results (extraordinary)
619 Ballot Papers Entered - 614 Formal Ballot Papers - 5 Informal Ballot Papers
Western Australian Electoral Commission - Notice of Election Results
2021 Election Results (ordinary)
796 Ballot Papers Entered - 790 Formal Ballot Papers - 6 Informal Ballot Papers
46.93% of eligible voters in Exmouth used the chance to cast their vote and take part in our community's future development.
Western Australian Electoral Commission - Notice of Election Results
2019 Election Results (ordinary)
797 Ballot Papers Entered - 792 Formal Ballot Papers - 5 Informal Ballot Papers
46.77% of eligible voters in Exmouth used the chance to cast their vote and take part in our community's future development.
Want to know more?
For further information on Local Government Elections and Candidate Nomination Information please visit the below websites:
Western Australian Electoral Commission - Local Government Elections
Department of Local Government and Communities - Elections