Local Government Elections

Councillors play a vital leadership role, working together to create and implement their community’s vision and strategic direction.

Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Elected Members are all elected for four-year terms. Mayors and Deputy Mayors are popularly elected by the community. 

How elections work

Tasmanian local government elections are conducted by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) using a postal ballot. You do not need to attend a polling booth.

Who is eligible to vote?

Everyone on the State roll is automatically enrolled and required to vote in local government elections.

To check if you are enrolled on the State roll, please refer to the Check my Enrolment page on the Australian Electoral Commission website.

Other people who own or occupy land in the municipal area or are the nominated representatives of a corporate body which owns or occupies land in the municipal area, may also be eligible to enrol, but must lodge an enrolment application with the Chief Executive Officer.

General Manager’s Electoral Roll eligibility

You may be eligible for the General Manager’s Electoral Roll if:

• you are a resident in the Glenorchy municipality, but not eligible for the State electoral roll; or
• you own or occupy land in Glenorchy, but do not live in the Glenorchy municipality; or
• you are the nominated representative of a corporate body, which owns or occupies land in the Glenorchy municipality

A voter, in an election in respect of one municipal area, has a maximum of two votes:

• one vote is in their own right; and
• one vote on behalf of a corporate body

Enrolment is not automatic – you must apply.

Enrol for the General Manager’s Electoral Roll

Please complete the relevant form:

General Manager’s Roll Enrolment Form for a Non Resident (PDF)

General Manager’s Roll Enrolment Form for a Corporate Body (PDF)

To submit your form you can either

Deliver your relevant form to the Glenorchy City Council Chambers, 374 Main Road, Glenorchy, TAS, 7010.

Mail your relevant form to the Chief Executive Officer, Glenorchy City Council, PO Box 103, Glenorchy TAS 7010

Email your relevant form to gccmail@gcc.tas.gov.au

You will be notified if your enrolment is approved or rejected.

Voting

• Compulsory for people on the State Electoral Roll
• Not compulsory for those on the General Manager’s Roll

Local Government elections are a full postal ballot which means there is a polling period rather than one polling day. Every elector will be sent their very own postal ballot pack at their postal address. You then have around 4 weeks to complete your vote and:

• hand deliver to Customer Service at 374 Main Road, Glenorchy or
• mail using the Reply Paid envelope in your ballot pack.

Please note that if you are mailing your vote to the returning officer, you should do so allowing sufficient time for the mail to be received prior to the close of polling.

Elections are conducted by the Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC). Further information regarding enrolment, elections and voting is available on the TEC website.

2026 Local Government Elections: Information for Prospective Candidates

Local government plays a vital role in shaping Tasmanian communities, from roads, infrastructure and planning to services and community wellbeing. The 2026 local government elections are an opportunity for electors to choose who will represent them, including councillors, mayors and deputy mayors.

If you are considering nominating, now is the time to learn about the role, eligibility requirements, nomination process, campaigning obligations and election timetable.

Election overview

In September and October 2026, elections will be held across all 29 Tasmanian local government areas. Elections are conducted by postal ballot and voting is compulsory for all electors on the State roll.

Glenorchy will have 7 councillors following the upcoming local government elections, along with the positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, for a four-year term. This means there will be 9 Elected Members in total. This is down from the previous total of 10 due to state-wide council reforms that reduce councillor numbers across Tasmania.

Candidate handbooks and official information

The Tasmanian Electoral Commission (TEC) is the official source of information about candidate eligibility, nominations and the election timetable.

The Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT) has also released a Candidate Handbook to support anyone considering running for local council and to explain the role and responsibilities of a Councillor. View the Candidate Handbook here.

Election timetable

• Monday 7 September 2026: Nominations open
• Thursday 10 September 2026: Enrolment closes at 6pm
• Monday 21 September 2026: Nominations close at 12 noon
• Tuesday 22 September 2026: Nominations announced at 12 noon
• Monday 5 October 2026: Ballot packs delivered by post
• Tuesday 27 October 2026: Close of poll at 2pm
• Wednesday 28 October 2026: Counting commences

Advertising and signage

Candidates are responsible for ensuring all election advertising and signage complies with relevant election requirements,

Useful websites

• Tasmanian Electoral Commission: https://www.tec.tas.gov.au/
• Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT): https://www.lgat.tas.gov.au/
• Office of Local Government: https://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/government-information/local-government

More information

Contact the Tasmanian Electoral Commission for information about enrolment, voting and candidacy.

Website: tec.tas.gov.au Phone: 1800 801 701