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Council elections

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Every 4 years, Knox residents and ratepayers vote to elect Councillors to represent our community.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is responsible for managing local Council elections.

The last Council elections were held in October 2020. The VEC website has detailed election results for Knox.

The next Council elections will be held in October 2024.

For information about Federal and State elections, visit:

the VEC website
the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website.

Failure to vote

Voting in the Council election is compulsory for all Knox residents who are:

aged 18 years or older
an Australian citizen
have lived in Victoria for at least one month
are enrolled on the State roll for an address in the Knox Council area.

The VEC is responsible for enforcing compulsory voting at local government elections.

Check your enrolment details and find more information on fines and reviews on the VEC website.

Election Period Policy

Council’s Election Period Policy ensures that the Knox City Council general elections are conducted in a manner that is fair, ethical and equitable.

The Policy is included within our Governance Rules, under section 69 of the Local Government Act 2020.

Become a candidate

To become a candidate in a Council election or by-election, you must be enrolled for the Council in which you wish to stand. Knox City Council divides into 9 wards and you can be a candidate for any ward in the Council.

The Victorian Electoral Commission provides information for candidates and parties for Council elections and by-elections.

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Who can be a candidate?

To be a candidate for a local Council election, you must:

be an Australian citizen
be aged 18 years of age
be enrolled on the voters' roll for the Council in which you wish to stand
have completed the mandatory Local Government candidate training
not be disqualified from being a Councillor.

You cannot be a candidate for any of the following reasons:

you are an undischarged bankrupt
you have property that is subject to control under the law relating to bankruptcy
you are a member of Council staff of the Council. You can take leave from this role in order to nominate
you have been convicted of any of the criminal offences referred to in section 34(2) of the Act
you are a Councillor with another Council, including interstate Councils
you are member of an Australian parliament, including the federal Parliament or a member of parliament in any state or territory of the Commonwealth of Australia
you are employed by a federal or state member of parliament as a ministerial officer, a parliamentary adviser or an electorate officer. You can take leave from these roles in order to nominate
or you are otherwise incapable of becoming or continuing to be a Councillor.

Further details are outlined in the Local Government Act 2020.

MAV Stand for Council Program

If you are interested in standing for Council, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) are delivering candidate information sessions across Victoria from May through to August 2024.

The session will cover the 2024 Council elections, the role of Council, and the responsibilities of being a Councillor.

Yarra Ranges Council are hosting the Metropolitan East Region session with details as follows:

Date: Thursday 9 May 2024
Location:
Yarra Ranges Council Civic Centre
15 Anderson St, Lilydale
Conference Room A

In-person check in: 6:00pm – 6:30pm
Session Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Registrations are essential. For more information and to register, please visit: MAV Stand for Council website.

Permits for election signs and materials on Council land

You must apply for a permit to display an election sign or distribute election material on Council land.

Applications are only considered after an election has been announced.

Apply for an election sign permit

Apply for permit to distribute election materials

Election signs on Council land must follow the election sign rules and a fee may apply. You will also need $20 million public liability insurance noting Knox City Council as an interested party.

Election signs on private property

One political sign of up to five square metres in area can be displayed on a private property for up to three months. Signs can remain no longer than 14 days after an election.

Need help?

Or call our Customer Service team on 9298 8000.