2024 NSW Local Government elections
Saturday, 14 September 2024
There are 128 local government councils in NSW. Each council represents a local government area. The NSW Electoral Commission will be conducting the elections for 126 councils on Saturday, 14 September 2024 for the election of Councillors. Some councils will also be holding mayoral elections, constitutional referendums and/or polls. Fairfield City Council and Liverpool City Council have chosen to use a commercial election provider.
Voting is compulsory at all NSW local government elections except for council polls.
More information about how local government elections work.
Read the 2024 NSW Local Government elections Service charter.
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Monday, 1 July 2024
- Start of the capped expenditure period
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Monday, 22 July 2024
- Notice and advertising of entitlement to enrol and vote
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Monday, 5 August 2024
- Start of regulated period for electoral material
- 8am: Lodgement of nominations open
- 6pm: Close of roll for the purposes of being a candidate or nominator
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Tuesday, 6 August 2024
- Lodgement of postal vote applications open
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Wednesday, 7 August 2024
- Notice and advertising of election and to nominate
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Monday, 12 August 2024
- Half-yearly donations and major political donors disclosures due
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Wednesday, 14 August 2024
- 12 noon: Close of nominations and close of registration of candidates and groups
- Registration of electoral materials open
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Thursday, 15 August 2024
- 2pm: Ballot paper draw conducted
- 2pm: Uncontested elections declared
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Monday, 19 August 2024
- Postal packs distribution begins
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Monday, 2 September 2024
- Display of registered electoral material website commences
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Friday, 6 September 2024
- 5pm: Registration of electoral material closes
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Saturday, 7 September 2024
- Pre-poll voting period opens
(Note: days and times will vary for each location and no voting Sunday, 8 September) - Telephone assisted voting applications and voting open. Eligibility for telephone assisted voting is restricted to electors who are blind or have low vision.
- Pre-poll voting period opens
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Monday, 9 September 2024
- 5pm: Postal vote applications close
- Registration of third-party campaigners closes
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Friday, 13 September 2024
- Pre-poll voting period closes
(Note: times will vary for each location) - Telephone assisted voting applications close
- Pre-poll voting period closes
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Saturday, 14 September 2024
- 8am – 6pm: Election day
- 1pm: Telephone assisted voting closes
- 6pm: Regulated period for electoral material ends
- End of capped expenditure period
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Monday, 23 September 2024
- Last day to lodge annual electoral expenditure disclosure
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Friday, 27 September 2024
- 6pm: End of postal vote returns
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Monday, 30 September 2024
- Start of progressive distribution of preferences
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Tuesday, 1 October 2024
- Start of progressive declaration of results
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Wednesday, 2 October 2024
- End of progressive distribution of preferences
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Thursday, 3 October 2024
- End of progressive declaration of results
The 2024 NSW Local Government elections will be held on Saturday, 14 September 2024. We are looking for people to work at these elections, including people who have never worked at an election before. Expressions of interest are now open.
View more information about the positions available and rates of pay for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections.
For voters
Find a voting centre
Enter a full address in the address lookup tool.
Select the 'Where can I vote?' button.
View the map (you can also toggle to list view). Blue icons indicate where you can vote early. Orange icons indicate where you can vote on election day.
Select any icon to reveal the venue details.
Check your enrolment
Voting is compulsory at NSW Local government elections. Check where you are enrolled to vote or update your enrolment details.
You must vote at a venue in your enrolled council area (or ward if you live in a divided council area). You cannot vote at a venue in another area. Use the address lookup tool to find your council or ward.
No interstate voting
As electors cannot vote outside their council area or ward, the NSW Electoral Commission is not providing interstate voting. Electors who will be travelling and unable to attend to vote in their area can postal vote.
Find out who the candidates are for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections.
Choose a council area to view the candidates for that council, or search for a specific candidate.
Important: The NSW Electoral Commission is not conducting the election for the council you have chosen.
Please contact the council for further information.
OR
Download a spreadsheet of the finalised candidates (XLS 0.2MB).
Voting options
If you are voting in person you must vote at a venue in your enrolled council area (or ward if you live in a divided council area). You cannot vote at a venue in another area. Use the address lookup tool to find your council or ward.
Voting options for this election include:
- voting in person at a polling place on election day
- pre-poll (early voting) at a pre-poll venue*
- postal voting*
- telephone assisted voting for electors who are blind or have low vision*
- braille ballot papers* (applications for braille ballot papers are now closed).
*Eligibility criteria apply for these options.
Postal vote applications are now open for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections. Apply online or download an application form. Applications close at 5pm Monday, 9 September 2024. Find out who is eligible to postal vote.
Watch a video on how to vote by post for the upcoming elections.
Timeline:
Monday, 19 August 2024: Postal vote pack distribution commences.
Monday, 9 September 2024: Postal vote applications close at 5pm.
Saturday, 14 September 2024: Vote and complete your postal vote certificate by 6pm.
Friday, 27 September 2024: Completed postal votes must be received by the NSW Electoral Commission by 6pm.
General postal voters will automatically receive ballot papers in the mail for this election.
Voting in person before election day
For the 2024 NSW Local Government elections, pre-poll voting is available from Saturday, 7 September to Friday, 13 September 2024 (excluding Sunday) for eligible electors. Find out who is eligible to vote early. Electors will be asked to verbally declare the reason they are voting early.
You must vote at a venue that is located within your enrolled council area (or ward if you live in a divided council area). Use the address lookup tool to find your council or ward.
Voting in person on election day
Election day is 14 September 2024. You must vote at a venue that is located within your enrolled council area (or ward if you live in a divided council area). Use the address lookup tool to find the council or ward you live in. If you have moved since you voted last, you should check your enrolment and change your address if necessary.
Telephone assisted voting
Telephone assisted voting is only available to people who are blind or have low vision.
Find more information about telephone assisted voting, including key dates and hours of operation.
Assistance in your language
View translated information about the 2024 NSW Local Government elections, including how to vote, where to vote and key dates.
Community education resources
View our range of resources, including explainer videos, translated resources and factsheets to support access to voting for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections.
View our frequently asked questions page for answers about elections, enrolment, voting options and assistance for voters.
For candidates and councils
Learn about becoming a candidate for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections. Please read all details under each topic to see what is applicable to you and the relevant deadlines under each topic.
- View the Candidate handbook for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections
- Register your electoral material online or download LG.212 Application to register electoral material (PDF 0.2MB)
- Ballot paper templates
- LG.245 Requirements for registration of electoral material (PDF 0.1MB)
- Information for scrutineers
- Information for candidates for the 2024 NSW Local Government elections
The table below provides cumulative totals daily (reporting the previous day).
Postal vote applications: All applications for a postal vote received. This includes general postal voters.
Postal votes returned: Number of completed postal vote certificates receipted.
Pre-poll figure: Number of electors who have cast a vote during the early voting period.
Number of electors: 5,630,319 (as at 8 August 2024)
Metric | Total | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Postal vote applications | 214,507 | 3.81% |
Postal packs returned | 0 | 0% |
Pre-poll figure | 0 | 0% |
The information is true as at time of reporting. Table data last updated: 8:30am Thursday, 22 August 2024.
Election bulletins for political participants
Bulletin No.1 | 10 May 2024
- Featured: Election date; Candidate information webinars; Candidate, group and third-party campaigners must register to start campaigning; Compliance with electoral funding laws; Disclosure obligations; Campaign accounts; Information and support; Administration of the 2024 elections in Fairfield and Liverpool.
Bulletin No.2 | 25 June 2024
- Featured: Election calendar; Candidate and participant information; Candidate and participant helpdesk; Registration for candidates and groups; Nomination as a candidate; Upcoming actions requested of registered parties; Postal vote applications; Registration of third-party campaigners; Amendments to registered details of candidates, groups or third-party campaigners; Determining who is responsible for compliance with electoral funding laws; Funding and disclosure online; Administration of the 2024 elections in Fairfield and Liverpool.
Bulletin No.3 | 15 July 2024
- Featured: Nomination online management system now live; Registered political party logins for NOMS are available now; Registration for candidates and groups; Amendments to the Register of Parties; Capped expenditure period commenced 1 July; Political donation caps for 2024/2025 financial year; Candidate and participant information; Political donation awareness and resources; End of financial year disclosures due; Candidate resources: Office of Local Government campaign.
Bulletin No.4 | 24 July 2024
- Featured: Candidate handbook; Candidate and participant webinars; Nomination Online Management System (NOMS) is now available; Reminder – important information on website about donation and expenditure rules; Registration of candidates, groups and third-party campaigners; Accepting and using political donations; Reminder regarding campaign accounts; Electoral funding disclosure obligations as a current Councillor or Mayor.
Bulletin No.5 | 1 August 2024
- Featured: Upcoming key dates; Candidate eligibility; Close of rolls; Lodgement of nominations; Lodging your nomination online; Lodging your nomination in person; Witnessing the statutory declaration in the candidate information sheet; Close of registration for candidates and groups; Postal voting; Braille ballot papers; Polling place locations and projections; Electoral material authorisation requirements; Compliance operations during the regulated election period; Party registration freeze; Disclosures: reminder due date for political donation disclosures is 12 August 2024; Disclosures: reminder due date for major political donors is 12 August 2024; Regulatory priorities; Security and privacy of enrolment information; Candidate helpdesk changes to operational hours.
Bulletin No.6 | 12 August 2024
- Featured: Nominations close at 12 noon Wednesday; Successfully completing a nomination online; Reminder: close of registrations for candidates and groups 12 noon Wednesday, 14 August; Candidate details published on website; Ballot paper draw; Local Government election regulations amended; Campaign accounts; Registration of electoral material for distributing on election day; Re-use of election material; Community education resources webpage now available; Applications for postal voting are open; Postal vote applications returned to political participants.
Bulletin No.7 | 15 August 2024
- Featured: Nominations and registrations are now closed; Ballot paper draw to occur today; Candidate information on website; Electoral expenditure is capped from 1 July 2024 to election day; Public registers; Political donation caps for 2024/2025 financial year; Accepting and using political donations; ICAC warns against using allegations of corruption as part of campaigns.
Bulletin No.8 | 16 August 2024
- Featured: Ballot paper draws completed; Ballot paper templates; Candidate information webinars; Register your electoral; Postal vote applications returned to political participants.
Election notice 1: Advertising of enrolments | 22 July 2024
Election notice 2: Notice of election and call for nomination proposals | 9 August 2024
Election notice 3: Declaration of uncontested elections | 16 August 2024
Election notice 4 Notice of contested elections | 16 August 2024
Election reminders
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