Nominations open on Monday 9 September 2024 and close at 12 noon on Tuesday 17 September 2024.
Election managers will receive and record nominations from candidates at the local election office. This includes receiving the $250 nomination fee.
In advance of the close of the roll, candidates are strongly encouraged to make sure they have confirmed their eligibility to nominate.
Candidates will be able to create their nomination forms online from Candidate Helper, accessible from the VEC website when nominations open, but must lodge their hard copy nomination form in person with the Election Manager at the local election office.
The use of Candidate Helper is strongly encouraged as it enables candidates to step through the nomination process, including submitting their candidate statement and photograph.
The list of candidates who have nominated for each local government election will be regularly updated on the VEC website. Candidates’ names and public contact details, where provided, will appear soon after a full quality assurance process has been successfully completed for their nomination. We anticipate updates to the lists of candidates on the VEC website to be made twice daily on each day during the nomination period.
Draw for position on ballot paper
Close of nominations for candidates is 12 noon Tuesday 17 September 2024.
Election managers will hold a ballot draw to determine the order of candidate names on the ballot paper as soon as possible after the close of nominations (anticipated to be from 10 am Wednesday 18 September 2024).
Ballot draws will be conducted electronically and the order of names on each ballot paper is determined by a single random draw. Our electronic application has been independently audited to ensure the result is random.
The electronic draw also enables the publication of the final list of candidates, in ballot paper order, to be updated to the VEC website shortly after the ballot draw is completed.
Candidate statements and photographs
As part of the nomination process, election managers will receive candidates’ personal statements and photographs to be included in the ballot pack sent to voters. Candidates are strongly encouraged to create their candidate statements and upload their photographs into Candidate Helper and bring all documentation to their nomination appointment.
This will streamline the process for loading information into our election management system and will enable candidates to complete all steps in
the nomination process in a single appointment. The Candidate Handbook will provide clear information on the requirements for preparing and submitting statements and photographs, such as candidate statements having a word limit of 200 words. Election managers will not assist candidates with the preparation of their statement content.
Supplying a candidate statement and photograph is voluntary. The completed statements will be accessible to voters on the VEC website, in election offices and will be included in the postal ballot pack. Each individual candidate can lodge a candidate statement and photograph by no later than 12 noon Tuesday 17 September 2024, to be followed by the ballot draw at 10 am Wednesday 18 September.
Candidate questionnaires
As part of the nomination process, election managers will receive answers to candidate questionnaires completed by candidates. Like candidate statements, candidates will be able to complete their candidate questionnaire forms using Candidate Helper before lodging it with the Election Manager. Candidates are strongly encouraged to bring this to their nomination appointment.
Each individual candidate can lodge a candidate questionnaire by no later than 12 noon Tuesday 17 September 2024, to be followed by the ballot draw at 10 am Wednesday 18 September.
Supplying a candidate questionnaire is voluntary. The completed questionnaires will be accessible to voters on the VEC website and available in election offices. We will publish advice showing which candidates did not lodge answers to the candidate questionnaire or did not answer any particular question.
Candidate enquiries and support
We will operate a candidate helpdesk at head office in advance of the election so that prospective candidates can direct their enquiries and receive assistance with their nominations prior to the opening of the election office. This includes support with using Candidate Helper, a digital tool for the pre-completion of nomination forms.
From the opening of the election office, Election Managers will personally deal with all enquiries from candidates for their own council. Candidate handbooks will be made available online and through the election office. We strongly encourage prospective candidates to use Candidate Helper and the VEC website for election information.
Refund of nomination fees
Candidates who receive 4% or more of the formal first preference vote, or who are elected, will have their nomination fee refunded as soon as practicable after the declaration of the election.
Nomination fees will be refunded to eligible candidates by cheque or, where requested, by direct credit into a nominated bank account. Payments of fees forfeited by candidates who are ineligible to have their nomination fee returned will be sent to local councils at the same time.