Local Elections of Councillors and the Lord Mayor are held on the second Saturday of September in every 4th year. The next Council Elections will be held on Saturday 8 September 2012.

Change to Local Government Elections

On 27 June 2011, the Local Government Amendment (Elections) act 2011 (the Act) was passed in NSW Parliament, Section 296 of the Act enabled councils to administer their own election, constitutional referendums and polls. The 2012 Newcastle Local Government Election will be administered by Australian Election Company (Aust E Co). Aust E Co will be advertising for electoral officers later in the year.

Local Government Election 2012 Candidate Seminar

The Division of Local Government and the Election Funding Authority will be hosting a Seminar for people interested in nominating as a candidate for the 2012 Local Government Election.

The seminar will be held in the Newcastle Room at Newcastle City hall on Wednesday 13 June from 6pm to 9pm.

Who is Eligible to Vote?

Residents who are already on the electoral roll and who live in the ward/area where the election is held are automatically entitled to vote in Council elections. Voting in Council elections is compulsory for these electors.

Owners of property in the Council area who do not live on the property may also be able to vote. They must send as application to the General Manager of the Council to appear on the non-resident owners, occupiers and ratepaying lessees electoral roll. Voting is not compulsory for people on this roll.

Voting on Election Day

Polling places are generally established at local schools and halls. The places will be advertised in the week leading up to the election.

Voting Before Polling Day

You can vote before election day at a Prepoll voting office. If you are not going to be in your Local Government Area on election day, you must organise to do a prepoll or postal vote. Information about Prepoll locations will be advertised in the lead up to election day. You must apply to do a postal vote.

Voting in the Newcastle Local Government Area

The Newcastle Local Government Area is divided into four wards or areas, with each ward having three councillors. Eligible residents vote for the candidate in their own ward to elect the three councillors, as well as voting for the Lord Mayor.

Your elected Council is made up of the 12 Councillors and the Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor is elected on a separate ballot for the entire four-year term of Council.

What Happens on Election Day?

The Polling Place Manager, who is in charge of a polling place, supervises the initial counting of votes. When the poll closes, after performing ballot paper reconciliation tasks, this Officer opens the ballot box and has the ballot papers scrutinised. If a ballot paper has not been completed in accordance with the instructions it’s deemed informal.

At the Returning Officer’s office, postal votes and prepoll votes are scrutinised and relevant counts conducted.

How is the Result Declared?

The Election Manager (the Council General Manager) gives approval for the Returning Officer to declare the final results of the election. The results will be published in full on the Council’s website and in the local newspaper.

Want to be a Councillor?

Nominations will be called for positions on the Council on 30 July 2012. Intending Nominees must complete and submit their nomination to the Returning Officer by 12 noon 8 August 2012. Nominees will also need to register with the NSW Election Funding Authority. (Please note: Nominating as a candidate with the Returning Officer for the election is separate to registering with the Election Funding Authority.)

If you want to find out more about being a Councillor, go to the NSW Division of Local Government’s website and download their publication ‘Becoming a Councillor’. You should also go to the NSW Election Funding Authority's website to find out about the obligations a candidate will need to be aware of in order to comply with the Election Funding Expenditure & Disclosures Act, 1981.